1947 Flying Disks News Article

Hello ATS. I was watching a documentary series made in Chile (OVNI, by a top reporter in Chile: Patricio Bañados). Do not remember the episode, it was long time ago. In that episode he showed a news article about flying disks written in 1947 by the newspaper "El Mercurio". I went to the local library and asked for the microfilm containing the news paper and translated it to english. I want to know what you guys think AND above all, if some of you can verify anything in those articles (2 of them). Sorry for any grammar or orthography mistakes (I speak spanish).

It was written in the news paper "El Mercurio" and dated Saturday, July 19, 1947, and the other article Sunday, July 20, 1947.

Thank you. Hope it's of interest.

Saturday, July 19, 1947, Valparaíso

AN INVENTOR OF THE FLYING DISCS IS IN THIS PORT AND HE TALKS ABOUT THEM

The English engineer Mr. W. H. S. Ashlin expresses that he conceived this invention in 1939, when the German aviation was the most powerful in the world. - The discs with their own propulsion rotate with extraordinary force, which allows them an enormous radius of action, taking advantage of the centrifugal movement, which also causes high speeds, higher than the V-2 projectiles. - Explanation about the flying discs that have been seen in different parts of the world.

VALPARAÍSO, 19. - Object of the most varied comments was the yesterday’s appearance in Valparaiso of a phenomenon that, according to all the characteristics, were flying discs. In other words, the mysterious objects that cross the sky at great speeds and that have been observed in the United States and other countries, causing as in ours, the most diverse conjectures.

The lack of precise knowledge about these phenomena has given rise to all sorts of hypotheses, from the assertion that they are experiments of new elements of war, to clear manifestations, according to not so few, of the disintegration of the planetary system.

Neither abroad nor in our country has a voice been raised that, based on serious and logical antecedents, has given a satisfactory explanation on these phenomena that concern so many nations and reassure, in addition, the spirits.

Our news paper, in order to co-assist research activities on these phenomena and satisfy, on the other hand, the natural anxiety of the public, much of which is really alarmed by these curious manifestations attributed to planetary disturbances, offered in these columns sensational news and jointly, the opinion of who can talk about "flying discs" with sufficient authority, because it is precisely its inventor: English engineer Mr. W. H. S. Ashlin, now living in Valparaiso, partner of the firm Broom, Ashlin Engineering Co. Ltd., Consulting Engineers, Errázuriz Avenue 401, Valparaíso.

CHATTING WITH S R. ASHLIN

At the offices of the firm Broom y Co., this very known entity in town and general agent of many foreign firms, we talked with the engineer W. H. S. Ashlin, partner engineering of the firm "Broom, Ashlin Engineering Co. Ltd." which performs important jobs in industries in this area.

Mr. Ashlin is an engineer received in England, settled many years in Chile and until recently was administrator of Shell-Mex in Viña del Mar. During the First World War he served as pilot of the British Air Force. He is 44 years old and resides in Valparaíso.

Knowing that this engineer was an expert in aviation, we interviewed Mr. Ashlin yesterday regarding the appearance of the flying discs in our port.

The immediate response of our interviewee was categorical, to tell us that indeed "they are flying discs in the process of experimentation by some powerful nation, possibly the USA. And therefore it is ruled out with absolute certainty our fear or idea that these incidents are products of planetary changes."

INVENTOR OF THE FLYING DISCS

Then he adds that he makes these assertions with such certainty, because he personally made experiments with flying discs some years ago, whose original plans he sent to England in 1939, which were not accepted at that time by that powerful nation.

To demonstrate this statement, he showed us an official communication from the London Science Research Department: but now, with the right means, they are experimenting his idea. The manifestations of observed phenomena coincide fully with those that his invention would have had when executed.

HOW THE IDEA WAS BORN

Questioned about the characteristics of the flying disk he had invented, Mr. Ashlin gave us his main aspects, citing what reasons moved him to do so.

- As you will remember - he tells us -, in 1939, the Germans attacked London mercilessly, so I thought it was necessary to invent something more than airplanes to stop the German aviation, that at that time was the most powerful in the world.

It was then that I conceived the idea of flying discs, which, when thrown into space, would cover large areas, preventing the action of the German aviation that would be at each moment with these metal disks.

He added that after long experiments in laboratories, he achieved full success with miniature devices.

DISCS WITH OWN PROPULSION

His first idea was to launch these airplanes in flight using tubes that would be placed in the planes. It was enough to press a button so that the discs were launched at high speed through space. As a means of defense was to shoot these discs against the squadrons of enemy planes advancing from a height of 200 meters above the Nazis machines, in other words, fill with disks a huge area to leave no possibility of escape to attackers

According to the experiments carried out by me, he says, these discs had to go thorugh the fuselage of enemy planes or break their vital parts.

The discs with their own propulsion rotate with extraordinary force, which allows them enormous radius of action, taking advantage of the centrifugal movement, which, in addition, causes great speeds, superior to the V-2 projectiles.

In addition, he adds, because of the great speed with which these discs rotate, they generate enormous heat and produce an incandescent color. Better said a red white colour.

About the material with which he thought about building them he refused to give reports, because he expressed that it should not be known by public, but that in his opportunity they were put in knowledge of the Allied Command. He added that he has the formula of the material that should have been used in the discs and that it is a special steel that resists high temperatures, as he could verify in his experiments in Valparaíso.

About the size of the disks he declared that it was a detail of relative importance, as this was determined only when its final use was known, which could be of great size or as small as the one he experimented with.

Part 1/3

THE REPORT HAS 25 PAGES

Later Mr. Ashlin showed us the documents among which is a long report on details of his inventions of the flying discs and the notes exchanged between him and the British Government departments.

Considering it as of interest, we make known the text of the note of the English Government which does not accept the invention of Mr. Ashlin:

" London, February 17, 1941.

-- Dear Sir:

With reference to your letter dated December 26, 1940, including a copy of your communication dated November 7, 1940 directed by you to the British Embassy in Santiago, I must inform you that your proposal regarding the flying discs has been carefully considered; but it is unfortunate that no proposal can be made about it. I appreciate your communication however.

Your attentive and sure server.
E. G. Dam
Assistant Director of Science Research "

EXPLANATION OF THE CURRENT FLYING DISCS

The most interesting part of this interview was Mr. Ashlin's explanation about the flying discs that have been seen in the USA. And in different parts of the world.

On the appearance of these discs in different parts, he tells us that they are launched from stratospheric planes which begin to turn at great speed and travel incredible distances. They do not remain stationary, he says, because when people have seen them they think they are detained, it is because they are turning at great speed and have found gaps in space or atmospheric conditions that prevent them from moving forward; but then, in favorable conditions, they continue their fast race.

About why no flying discs were found he said that was an easy explanation, because the discs spin at high speed in an incandescent state and with the friction of the air they disintegrate little by little, until they almost disappear, which is why they have not been found or only pieces or fragments of these devices are known.

Finally, he informed us that this invention has been known since 1940, by several senior leaders of our Army whose names he reserved, who classified them as formidable.

Part 2/3

Sunday, July 20, 1947, Valparaíso.

DOCUMENTATION OF THE INVENTION OF THE FLYING DISKS IN POWER OF PORT AUTHORITIES

Mr. W. H. S. Ashlin adopted this measure because of the real siege that he fell victim to by the public, when this sensational news was revealed by "El Mercurio".

VALPARAÍSO , July 20, 1947 - The sensational and exclusive news given yesterday by "El Mercurio", that the flying discs that caused so much concern in the world, had been invented in Chile, particularly in Valparaíso, produced an extraordinary stir in our scene.

But the issue also reached beyond our borders. The world news agencies took great pains to request information from our newspaper to relay our total information to Europe, the United States and other regions, so that their representatives could contact those agents of the allied governments who were in contact with Mr. W. H. S. Ashlin to know their statements in the presence of the sensational publication that had been made and that has come to fully establish an incontrovertible fact, which is that the flying discs are a product of human research and not celestial bodies that would be falling on our planet in a process of disintegration as some claimed.

THE NEWS IN VALPARAÍSO

Our city, after reading yesterday morning the extraordinary news of our newspaper, could not have a single thought of doubt about the seriousness of what was reported, since together with presenting the author of the invention, his photography, to publicize him as an engineer associated with an honorable firm and advantageously known on our port, he later verified by the facsimile of the letter issued by the Scientific Research department in London that the invention had indeed been considered even though they could not pay due attention to it in that opportunity.

Both Mr. J. A. Broom and Mr. Ashlin are well known in the world of maritime affairs, so they were the center of general curiosity that resulted in numerous phone calls, visits from friends and even multiple people who were extraordinarily interested in knowing details of the sensational invention.

Mr. Broom, who did not think what that publication would mean for the normal development of his activities, had to receive the bulk of people who came to his offices in search of data; but Mr. Ashlin, who understood by chance what it would mean to him to remain in his office, practically disappeared from the circles he ordinarily frequents, in order to avoid the questions of friends and onlookers.

However, Mr. Ashlin, before the siege of the journalist public and curious, declared yesterday afternoon that he had adopted measures to put an end to this situation. Of course, in order to avoid any risk, he put all the documentation of his transcendental invention in the hands of the Chilean military authorities.

He said that he had adopted this determination after having informed the British Government in his turn and to put an end to any public speculation to which he was and wanted to be totally foreign.

Part 3/3

There was a great thread here about this.

Hundreds of small towns reported these objects.

Almost every small town newspaper made some mention of this.

This is a fascinating topic.

Sounds like he's talking more about Foo Fighters than flying saucers a person could fly around in.

a reply to: redpassion

Interesting, thank you for taking the time to translate all of this.

Great work OP, interesting to see more info on the subject

I've been trying to cross reference W H S Ashlin on the Internet without much luck. Very possible he might have just been a crank. Found this little clipping, though:

Interesting information.

You notice that Mr. Ashlin only "Proposed" and apparently "Conceived" an idea of a, sort off, flying disc.

He did'nt say he made them or was making them or that humans could fly them.

Tho he made some models or something.

Typical Newspaper reporter fluffing up a story from very little....making a mountain out of a mole hill.

I doubt if Chile is the leader of flying saucer technology.

I use to make flying saucers out of alum foil milk bottle tops when I was a kid, doesn't mean I'm flying around in them now.

a reply to: Blue Shift

Yes, I found that too. It could be he was just trying to get publicity to his business, but I kind of find that unlikely because his business was targeted to big companies, not normal people. It could be he was just a flat out lair, however, according to the reporter he showed him the letters he exchanged with the British Government. So, the reporter was also a lair, or the documents were faked or he really submitted a project.

Maybe what Ashlin said is all true, but his invention just didn't work, and what people of that time really saw was nothing related to his invention.

I know there are persons in ATS that are very good in digging info about World Wars vets and stuff like that. Maybe one of them can check if he really was a pilot in World War I. And check if the name of the "Assistant Director of Science Research, E. G. Dam" is real.

By the way, if you read the second article, it says the news paper printed his photo. However, in the page were the first article was printed, there was no such photo. Maybe it was in the front page. I'd have to go back to the library and check that. The thing is that i get VERY dizzy when searching for stuff in micro films, to the point I want to vomit. So I just went in, searched for it and asked to get the articles photocopied, and read it at home.

Thank you for replays guys. Also you are welcome and glad you enjoyed it.

a reply to: gort51

Yes, I noticed that. He said his experiments were successful though. Yes it could be reporter was doing that.

About Chile being leader in flying saucer technology... yea I doubt it. But the only time I saw UFO's (in the sense that I am 100% sure it wasn't a natural occurrence and it was 5 controlled crafts), they lifted off from a direction were there is an air force base. Chile's army has incredible ties to the USA army and the RAF, it's nuts. I wouldn't be surprised a bit, if the UFO's are human technology, Chile had a few or had access or knowledge of that technology through USA or England.

You may like this video, it’s in spanish and talks about a contact with some alien civilization: m.youtube.com...

What I have always found interesting is the rarity of an extraterrestrial hypothesis during 1947 concerning 'flying discs'.

The above article ponders whether they are "experiments of new elements of war, to clear manifestations, according to not so few, of the disintegration of the planetary system".

Indeed, the public perception of these things being alien didn't even register during a 1947 Gallop US poll on August 14, 1947.

... most people either held no opinion or refused to answer the question (33%), or generally believed that there was a mundane explanation. 29% thought they were optical illusions, mirages or imagination, 15% a US secret weapon, 10% a hoax, 3% a “weather forecasting device”, 1% of Soviet origin, and 9% had “other explanations”, including fulfillment of Biblical prophecy, secret commercial aircraft, or related to atomic testing.

It seems it wasn't until 1949 that ET explanations began in earnest... and Hollywood eventually took notice.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

Nice note, didn't know that. Thank you.