Wednesday, June 30, 2004
HARRY TURNERS BUNDLE
Stole? Mmmmmm.... How about this Harry Turner misplaced the files? If one thinks that "possession is 9/10 of the law" then Harry had the files so he may have thought they were his... I don't know? There was a struggle and a lot of mail between people in Victoria over missing files and how to get them back.
Now, remember the collection of data was not an art at that stage, and most of the information was input to 3 main areas - Press, Defence Intelligence Army/Navy/AirForce & Groups. That input always went south to Melbourne (it had all the head departments at that stage). So Harry via Melbourne University found easy entry into the information trail. He arrived, met a few people then suddenly... He was gone!
This was not the only case by the way! Our old friend Edgar R. Jarrold had some thoughts along Turners lines, and there was a big exchange of letters to control the data. Jarrold was given the big flick after he began a song and dance with Department information.
Thus on the 30 July 1954:
Turner sends a letter out to people who have an interest in ufology and the RAAF HQ. In that letter he asks for help to do a study into the UFO Phenomena. In that letter you see Item 2.
"2. Act in liaison with Victorian Saucer Investigation Committee (a private organisation consisting principally of engineers and amateur astronomers)".
SEE: NAA file record 162.
He makes contact with other people (like Jack Seers, Brian Boyle etc) and another group (Aeronautical & Meteorological Phenomena Research - AMPR - Aka: PRA) and then went to these people & groups to collect their files. Why not, he looked OK so they went along with his idea.
Then on the 5th Aug 1954:
The Minister gives the OK!
SEE: NAA file record 161.
Thus on the 12 Jan 1955:
The RAAF have left an interesting record for the files, where Harry Turner writes a quick note in long hand and this was addressed not to RAAF HQ, but a person. In fact it was for one of the UFO Group members who worked there. After months Harry and that report were not found, the RAAF wanted their files and the groups wanted their files and a report so they went looking for Harry. He was gone and the files were gone and no one could find Harry. So the word went out and after some time he was found on a ship to the UK! When he was located there was a bitter exchange of letters on the report and the files. Harry said he had left them in a "Bundle" at RAAF HQ. The staff did find a some of the files that he had, but they were a very small set of the total and the groups had similar problems.
SEE: NAA file record 60.
SEE: NAA file record 61.
He was told to get them back!
If you read the letter you will see:
"My sincere regrets at handing this bundle of trouble over to you."
Harry did not want to make contact with the people who gave him the files. You see hints of this in this line:
"When I made my final hurried visit to RAAF HQ to return the files, you were away...
It was not over, mind you. Harry still had files even while he was in the UK and so more problems came up. When the important files were asked for the normal reply was "they were in the bundle".
So we find them lost or misplaced even taken without authority, what ever you like went "walkabout".
Oh... these actions lead to the starting of VUFORS by a number of Melbourne Uni people, Peter Norris etc (another story).
In the end you have a odd letter to the Minister of the 16 Dec 1954, RAAF DAFI reference the no show report a little arse covering letter, do you think?
SEE: NAA file record 67.
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Stole? Mmmmmm.... How about this Harry Turner misplaced the files? If one thinks that "possession is 9/10 of the law" then Harry had the files so he may have thought they were his... I don't know? There was a struggle and a lot of mail between people in Victoria over missing files and how to get them back.
Now, remember the collection of data was not an art at that stage, and most of the information was input to 3 main areas - Press, Defence Intelligence Army/Navy/AirForce & Groups. That input always went south to Melbourne (it had all the head departments at that stage). So Harry via Melbourne University found easy entry into the information trail. He arrived, met a few people then suddenly... He was gone!
This was not the only case by the way! Our old friend Edgar R. Jarrold had some thoughts along Turners lines, and there was a big exchange of letters to control the data. Jarrold was given the big flick after he began a song and dance with Department information.
Thus on the 30 July 1954:
Turner sends a letter out to people who have an interest in ufology and the RAAF HQ. In that letter he asks for help to do a study into the UFO Phenomena. In that letter you see Item 2.
"2. Act in liaison with Victorian Saucer Investigation Committee (a private organisation consisting principally of engineers and amateur astronomers)".
SEE: NAA file record 162.
He makes contact with other people (like Jack Seers, Brian Boyle etc) and another group (Aeronautical & Meteorological Phenomena Research - AMPR - Aka: PRA) and then went to these people & groups to collect their files. Why not, he looked OK so they went along with his idea.
Then on the 5th Aug 1954:
The Minister gives the OK!
SEE: NAA file record 161.
Thus on the 12 Jan 1955:
The RAAF have left an interesting record for the files, where Harry Turner writes a quick note in long hand and this was addressed not to RAAF HQ, but a person. In fact it was for one of the UFO Group members who worked there. After months Harry and that report were not found, the RAAF wanted their files and the groups wanted their files and a report so they went looking for Harry. He was gone and the files were gone and no one could find Harry. So the word went out and after some time he was found on a ship to the UK! When he was located there was a bitter exchange of letters on the report and the files. Harry said he had left them in a "Bundle" at RAAF HQ. The staff did find a some of the files that he had, but they were a very small set of the total and the groups had similar problems.
SEE: NAA file record 60.
SEE: NAA file record 61.
He was told to get them back!
If you read the letter you will see:
"My sincere regrets at handing this bundle of trouble over to you."
Harry did not want to make contact with the people who gave him the files. You see hints of this in this line:
"When I made my final hurried visit to RAAF HQ to return the files, you were away...
It was not over, mind you. Harry still had files even while he was in the UK and so more problems came up. When the important files were asked for the normal reply was "they were in the bundle".
So we find them lost or misplaced even taken without authority, what ever you like went "walkabout".
Oh... these actions lead to the starting of VUFORS by a number of Melbourne Uni people, Peter Norris etc (another story).
In the end you have a odd letter to the Minister of the 16 Dec 1954, RAAF DAFI reference the no show report a little arse covering letter, do you think?
SEE: NAA file record 67.
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