Dive into the definitive account of the Rendlesham Forest incident, often called 'Britain's Roswell'. This podcast explores the extraordinary events that took place near RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, two important NATO bases in Suffolk, England, in December 1980.
Drawing on the book 'Encounter in Rendlesham Forest', co-authored by former UK Ministry of Defence official Nick Pope and key witnesses John Burroughs and Jim Penniston, we bring you the inside story. Hear directly about the experiences of the United States Air Force personnel who were at the heart of this incident.
The podcast recounts the initial sighting of 'strange lights' by security police patrolmen, leading Airman First Class John Burroughs and Staff Sergeant Jim Penniston to a landed object in the forest. They described it as metallic and triangular, illuminating the area with white light, and having pulsing red and blue lights. Penniston details touching the craft, seeing strange symbols resembling Egyptian hieroglyphs, and experiencing a transfer of information – a binary code – which he recorded later. Farm animals nearby reacted strangely.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt's investigation on the subsequent nights revealed indentations and tree damage at the suspected landing site. His team recorded radiation readings, which were later assessed as 'significantly higher than background' by the Defense Intelligence Staff. Halt documented his observations on a now-famous audio tape, capturing his team's sighting of the object moving erratically in the sky.
Explore the military's handling of the events. Learn about entries in the Law Enforcement and Security blotters and the attempts to 'play down' the incident publicly using vague terms like 'unexplained lights'. Halt was instructed to write a 'sanitized' memo to the UK Ministry of Defence, which experienced significant delays in receiving formal notification. Investigations by both US and UK authorities were reportedly flawed due to confusion and poor information-sharing.
Delve into the allegations of a cover-up. Discover how witness statements were allegedly 'cleaned up' or signed under duress. Learn about missing documents and photos, controversy surrounding the removal of evidence by a senior General, and the UK MoD's public policy of downplaying UFOs while conducting classified studies like Project Condign, which examined Rendlesham.
Understand the profound impact on the witnesses, including documented cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Jim Penniston shares his personal struggle with the binary code he received, the feeling of madness it initially caused, and his eventual decision to reveal it to the public.
This podcast provides a data-led approach, presenting witness testimony, declassified government files, and insights from the authors' expertise within the UK MoD and USAF. It aims to set the record straight and allows you to assess the wealth of information and decide for yourself what occurred in Rendlesham Forest.
