Seven Australian Army tanks encounter UAP.

Hi all,

Background

Long term Australian UAP researchers will be aware, that in the state of Victoria, April 1966 was an extraordinary month for some spectacular encounters. I know of the following fascinating observations from just the first six days of the month.

2 April 1966. Balwyn, Melbourne suburb. Visual and photographic observation of a "bell" shaped object.

3 April 1966. Tullamarine, Melbourne. Radar observation of an object by a Department of Civil Aviation employee.

4 April 1966. Bourkes Flat. Light seen in a paddock. Bending of car's headlights. Depression in paddock found.

6 April 1966. Clayton South, Melbourne suburb. Mass sighting of a "dome shaped" object near the ground. Some witnesses reported two, others, three objects. At least one ground marking reported, but accounts vary as to where it was precisely located.

 

Tanks

 

In a blog post, dated 3 July 2013, I reported on a much lesser known, but possibly more spectacular, incident than the four above.

In that post, I mentioned that in a listing of audio recordings held by the late US researcher, Professor James E McDonald, I came across a recording labelled "Military tank sighting 24 April 1966."

 

In an attempt to learn more about this incident I consulted the National Archives of Australia's RecordSearch database. I located file series AWM 288, control symbol R723/1/1 titled "[1 Armoured Regiment] Reports - General - Flying Objects."

 

When I obtained a copy of the file, it contained only two images. The first was an image of the file cover, confirming it was a Department of Army file. The second image was of a memo dated 23 May 1966, from HQ Puckapunyal Area to S Command. The text read:

 

"Reference S Command 109-S1-3 dated 17 May 1966.

 

1. Enquiries have failed to locate the source of the report referred to above.

 

2. General enquiries will continue and any details reported will be forwarded as soon as possible."

 

I found nothing further on this 24 April 1966 tank sighting, which reportedly occurred at Puckapunyal Army base, near Seymour, some 70 miles out of Melbourne, until recently.

 

 

Audio recording located

 

I have now come into possession of a copy of the audio recording mentioned in the McDonald listing. The recording is of a Victorian researcher, speaking of an interview they conducted with a Captain  in the Australian Army Legal Corps That Captain was at the Puckapunyal Army base, present as an observer at an Army exercise.

A Centurion tank

 

 The incident described

 

At around 2am on 24 April 1966, seven Centurion tanks were on a firing range, firing shells at stationary targets on a hill, illuminated by flares.

 

While the tanks were firing, suddenly a UAP rose from "dead ground" about 700 yards away. The tanks stopped firing. The object rose up to 60-70 feet above the ground. It then hung in the air, wobbling slightly on its axis. It was dome shaped, and looked like it was made out of bluish metal.

 

 There were 23 witnesses in all. The object appeared damaged, as one side looked to be "bashed in" around the rim. There was also a reported "patch of oil" or some other fluid visible on the side which was damaged.

 

The object moved towards the tanks, then stopped at a range of about 150 yards. A diaphragm opened on the near side of the object, looking like the iris of a camera.

 

At this point, one of the tank gunners, turned his gun towards the object. The diaphragm snapped shut, and the object then moved off to the left flank of the tanks.

 

At its closest approach, the object's size was estimated as 45-50 feet across, and its speed equal to that of an Army Cessna observation aircraft.

 

Finally, the object sped away to the west, at high speed and was lost to view.

 

The next day, someone went to view the location from which the object had risen. It was reported that a 10 foot diameter depression was found in the ground. Also found, were traces of oil - engine oil - possibly from one of the tanks.

 

That this is the extent of the information I have been able to ascertain on this fascinating report. I welcome additional information from any of my Victorian readers.