Australian Ufology - History - 1950s

1950s

AMPR's workload increased as the world ran into its next major sightings flap. In 1951 AMPR became Aeronautics & Phenomena Research Victoria (APRV).

In May 1952, R. M. Seymour, Superintendent of the Federal Civil Aviation Department, Air Traffic Control Branch Melbourne, reported that Australian Intelligence officers had refused his Department permission to investigate flying saucer reports on the grounds that UFOs were "security matters".

In July 1952, Edgar Jarrold founded the Australian Flying Saucer Bureau (AFSB) in Sydney. Its headquarters were based in Fairfield. AFSB began publishing the Australian Flying Saucer Magazine in May 1953.

At some point in time, the APRV made contact with Jarrold and agreed that the AFSB and APRV would assist each other when possible. The APRV nominated John. M. Anderson as their AFSB liaison on the condition that his appointment is seen only as being neutral, there will be no branch affiliation with AFSB. Apparently Jarrold was seen by APRV as a secretive “loose gun” but both groups maintained an average working relationship.

AMPR decided on 6 February 1953 to form an auxiliary group called the Australian Flying Saucer Investigating Committee (AFSIC) in partnership with the Astronomical Society of Victoria (ASV).

Such was the interest in UFOs during the period that on 20 November 1953, Alexander Downer, the member for the Federal Division of Angas, enquired during Question Time in the House of Representatives about whether the RAAF was actively investingating the UFO phenomenon. The then Minister for Air, William McMahon (later Prime Minister) replied that the saucers were a problem "more for psychologists than for defence authorities".

In July 1954, AFSIC released a study of 55 sightings.

The flying saucer topic came under intense criticism. Public support for the continuation of investigation into the UFO phenomenon was driven by newspaper coverage of the 1954 sightings.

Then-Federal Minister for External Affairs and Minister in charge of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Richard Casey wrote a letter to The Advertiser newspaper (Adelaide) which was published on 30 January 1954. The clipping included this:

I have lists of the dates over the last several years on which people have reported having seen ‘flying saucers’ in Australia and have compared them with the dates on which the earth passes through the principal (sic) meteoric showers. There appears to be a noticeable relationship between these two sets of dates. —R. G. Casey, Minister for External Affairs

Baron Casey was a member of APRV. His time as Minister in charge of the CSIRO and as Minister for External Affairs enabled him to act as a conduit between governmental research, the public, and public enthusiast clubs. Casey’s curiosity on the subject related to UFO remained with him until his death in June 1976.

Then on March 1954 Jarrold was contacted by a South Australian called Fred Stone. Stone agreed to form a branch of Jarrold’s group and so the AFSB (SA) was formed. But this relationship was fragile and as Jarrold’s behavior changed due to stress the relationship deteriorated. The RAAF also noted problems with Jarrold, Sq Leader A.H. Birch, AFC, Air Force Head-Quarters, Victoria Barracks, Victoria, made note of this in a letter dated 5 April 1955 "... the discussion during the brief interview I had with Mr. Jarrold mainly concerned the possibility of his Society causing embarrassment to the Royal Australian Air Force.." (See Doc).

The RAAF then changed their policy and shifted their help to other organisations within Australia. "The Director would be happy to extend this service to your Society also." (See Doc). After Sq/Ld Birch meeting with Edger Jarrold's UFO group AFSB collapsed (Feb 1955), in just under 4 years, Mr Jarrold departed the active UFO scene for good, only to appear on rare occasions.

After this, a new state group emerged. The most prominent and first to re-build was under the Directorship of Fred Stone. Stone forms the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society (AFSRS) based in Adelaide, South Australia on Feb 1955. (See Doc). Stone also sees a chance to become the governing body of all Australian Ufology. He asks APRV to come under his plan and they reject the concept. However, APRV agree to extend the same relationship they extended to Jarrold’s group with John. M. Anderson as their contact. This arrangement was agreed to and APRV supplied a list of contacts for Stone on possible branch organisers. Fred Stone's plan, was to form three new state groups (Victoria, NSW, Queensland) under his control. With a new members list Stone set his plan into motion. Although each new group developed due to individuals within these group's, in the end Fred Stone had little input into the other two state groups structure. His concept worked at first but soon ran into administration problems due to distance between states and distant lines of communication.

In April 1956 to deal with an increase in reports the Aeronautics & Phenomena Research Victoria (APRV) changed their structure and name to Phenomena Research Victoria (PRV).

Then in November 1957 an upwelling of public interest produced the formation of new groups around Australia. The majority of these new state groups did not accept Fred Stone’s 1955 plan; those who accepted it only lasted one year before they decided to operate under their own administration. In late 1957 a new group starts in Sydney called the "Northern Suburbs Flying Saucer Research Association" (NSFSRA) is established under Mr & Mrs D. Moore.

Queensland members call for an independent structure and went their own way. They formed the Queensland Flying Saucer Research Bureau (QFSRB) - now known as UFO Research Queensland (UFORQld), formed under Charles Middleborough in 1956 and with Stan Seers from 1957. These new groups are infiltrated and members come under the watchful eye of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), as seen in this report dated 4 August 1959. Dossiers and comments on Stan Seers and QFSRB members are produced for the ASIO Regional Director. (See Doc).

However, in Victoria the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society (Victorian Branch) (AFSRS Vic) - now known as the Victorian UFO Research Society (VUFORS), under Peter E. Norris LL.B and John Pinkney is formed on 17 February 1957 at Melbourne University. The first months of 1957 it was a branch of the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society (AFSRS) but later that year it also became independent and was re-organised as the "Victorian Flying Saucer Research Society" (VFSRS). (See Doc).

At this time the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society (NSW Branch) (AFSRS NSW) was formed. This branch followed Victoria's lead and decided to become independent from Fred Stone South Australia group AFSRS. The NSW membership decided to again change their structure and name and thus became the UFO Investigation Centre (UFOIC) under Dr. W.P. Clifford 1957.

UFOIC start, was over shadowed by a large, more active Sydney group the "Northern Suburbs Flying Saucer Research Association". The two Sydney groups competed for members and soon relationships between the two broke down in competition. However, NSFSRA became the central NSW group, primarily due to their public support and "hosting" of "George Adamski" on his 1959 Australian visit, organised by Victorian and Queensland Groups. Adamski held his Sydney lecture at Adyar Hall Sydney on Friday 27 February 1959. The Adamski visit resulted in UFOIC membership falling away dramatically until it was basically a small, close-knit group of enthusiasts. So bitter was the dispute, UFOIC President Dr. Greenwell resigned in disgust; this opened the position to Dr Miran Lindtner who became president in March 1959. But the damage had been done and the Sydney experience scares the NSW UFO community.