Hi all,
Yet another interview from the 1967 McDonald collection.
Identification
Code/CD Number: 3T18S202/CD55
Date
Recorded: 6 July 1967
File Size: 10.1
MB
Interview Duration
(m:s): 10:33
Interview
Details: James McDonald interviews Alan D Shaw (Part 1)
Sighting Date:
8 January 1959
Sighting Time:
0900 hrs
Location of
Sighting: Hobart Bay, Risdon, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Duration of
Sighting: 15 minutes
Witness(es):
Alan D Shaw and W L Newton; both electrical engineers for the Tasmanian
Hydroelectric Commission.
Summary:
The two men
were inspecting a transmission structure near the Electrolytic Zinc Company of
Australasia. They were outside during
the observation.
Shaw read a
typed statement to McDonald, that Shaw had prepared on the day of the incident.
At 0920 hrs
Shaw drew Newton’s attention to what appeared to be a piece of newspaper in the
air. The object may have been caught in
an updraft, over the zinc works, at an estimated height of 1000 feet (300
metres), it floating downwards to about 200 feet (60 metres). It then accelerated to a high speed and
disappeared between two buildings, about a quarter of a mile (400 metres) away. It was travelling at about 30 to 60 mph (110
to 220 kilometres per hour), and appeared ‘flexible’ in shape. They later searched the area and found
nothing to account for this sighting.
Newton then
saw a similar second object, and both men watched it until it disappeared,
behind the admin building, a few seconds after the first object disappeared
from view.
To the
north-west, both men then saw a third, high flying, high speed object, which
travelled across the sky and disappeared behind Mount Direction, that is 1469
feet (448 metres) high. This one was
small, and flashing a white light at 1500 cycles per minute. It appeared to be several thousand feet (over
300 metres) high. In one second it
travelled through an angle of 20 degrees.
A similar object was seen to the north-east. At one time this object made large clockwise
circular motions in the sky. This object
hovered, then moved towards the sun, before being stationary.
Image courtesy Google maps |
After
seeing these four objects, the men witnessed two more. The latter two were jet black in colour and elongated,
and observed to the north of the sun. Mr
Newton thought they had emerged from the fourth object seen. They looked like inverted bowling skittles
with the ball leading. The men each watched
one of these black objects to watch. Shaw’s
one neared the Derwent River which at this point is 600 yards (550 metres) wide. He thought his black object was three to six feet
(one to two metres) long and 300 yards (275 metres) away. When it got to about 100 feet (30 metres)
above the river it stopped, then moved horizontally to the south for about 100
feet (30 metres). It descended
vertically and entered the water with no splash, at 1800 feet (550 metres) from
Shaw. Two seagulls were passing by and
they appeared to momentarily stop and investigate the area where the object entered
the river. The time was 0945 hrs.
The weather
was sunny, with a light southerly breeze with sparse clouds. Both men were wearing sunglasses during the
observation.
Identification
Code/CD Number: 3T19S101/CD56
Date
Recorded: 6 July 1967
File Size: 19.3
MB
Interview Duration
(m:s): 20:09
Interview
Details: James E McDonald interviews Alan D Shaw (Part 2)
Sighting Date:
8 January 1959
Sighting Time:
0900hrs
Location of
Sighting: Hobart Bay, Rison, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Duration of
Sighting: 15 minutes
Witness(es):
Alan D Shaw and W L Newton
Summary:
Mr Shaw
advised McDonald, that he (Shaw) had, the previous year, given a talk to the
local Astronomical Society about the events of 1959. Shaw had prepared slides illustrating the
event, which he and McDonald viewed as they spoke.
Shaw said
that both the weather bureau and the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) had been
informed of the observations but that no one had an explanation for what was
seen. A check for weather balloons found
that on this day none were released, apparently due to faulty equipment.
Shaw
advised McDonald that on that day, a total of six objects had been seen. Two ‘paper’ like ones; two flashing ones and
two black ones.
When
viewing the slides, McDonald clarified various points which Shaw read out from
his prepared statement (without the slides it is difficult to follow parts of
the conversation).
The
newspaper like objects that appeared to be a 2:1 ratio in size, and they were ‘flexing’
as they moved. The second one at times had
a shape similar to a carrot or a turnip.
These disappeared behind buildings.
The black
objects were near the sun. With
sunglasses, and obscuring the sun, the black objects were clearly outlined and
visible. They had no surface features. They were dull, jet black. When the object had entered the water he had
seen no obvious splash.
McDonald
states that objects entering the water is of interest to him.
Shaw said
that the resident RAAF officer commented to Shaw that he may as well forget
what he had seen.
Shaw gave a
talk about the incident to members of the local Astronomical Society, as he was
a member of that group.
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