The Priest and the Friendly UFOs

It is usually the stories told in the most prosaic, matter-of-fact way that are the most believable, even when they deal with a subject matter which is deeply weird.  For that reason, the following UFO account is considered among the most credible.

The main source for this story is an Australian Anglican priest named William Gill, who was working as a missionary in Boianai, Papua, New Guinea, which was at the time still Australian territory.  Gill was an honest, intelligent man who was highly respected by everyone who knew him.

In June 1959, Gill wrote a friend, Reverend David Durie, about an “inverted saucer-shaped object" that Gill’s assistant, Stephen Moi, had recently seen flying over their mission:

Dear David, 

Have a look at this extraordinary data. I am almost convinced about the “visitation” theory. There have been quite a number of reports over the months, from reliable witnesses. The peculiar thing about these most recent reports is that the UFOs seem to be stationary at Boianai or to travel from Boianai. The Mount Pudi vicinity seems to be the hovering area. I myself saw a stationary white light twice on the same night on 9 April, but in a different place each time.

I believe your students have also sighted one over Boianai. The Assistant District Officer, Bob Smith and Mr Glover have all seen it, or similar ones on different occasions again, over Boianai, although I think the Baniara people said they watched it travel across the sky from our direction. I should think that this is the first time that the “saucer” has been identified as such.

I do not doubt the existence of these “things” (indeed I cannot, now that I have seen one for myself) but my simple mind still requires scientific evidence before I can accept the from outer space theory. I am inclined to believe that probably many UFOs are more likely some form of electric phenomena, or perhaps something brought about by the atom bomb explosions, etc.

That Stephen should actually make out a saucer could be the work of the unconscious mind as it is very likely that at some time he has seen illustrations of some kind in a magazine, or it is very possible that saucers do exist, but it is only a 50/50 chance that they are not earth made, still less that they should carry men (more likely radio controlled), and it is still unproven that they are solids.

It is all too difficult to understand for me; I prefer to wait for some bright boy to catch one to be exhibited in Martin Square. Please return this report as I have no copy and I want Nor, [Rev. Norman Crutwell] to have it. 

Yours, Doubting William 

Anglican Mission, Boianai.

The very next day, Gill again wrote to Reverend Durie, this time with a strikingly different attitude:

Dear David,

Life is strange, isn’t it? Yesterday I wrote you a letter, (which I still intend sending you) expressing opinions re: The UFOs. Now, less than twenty-four hours later I have changed my views somewhat. Last night we at Boianai experienced about four hours of UFO activity, and there is no doubt whatsoever that they are handled by beings of some kind. At times it was absolutely breathtaking. Here is the report. Please pass it round, but great care must be taken as I have no other, and this, like the one I made out re: Stephen, will be sent to Nor. I would appreciate it if you could send the lot back as soon as poss.

Cheers,

Convinced Bill

The “UFO activity” Gill referred to began at 6:45 p.m. on June 26, 1959, when he noticed a bright white light in the Northwest sky.  It was such a striking sight that nearly forty other people came to watch it.  These witnesses then saw a four-legged, disc-shaped craft hovering over them.  Weirder still, the object was carrying four humanoid figures that were moving back and forth inside it.  A blue light periodically shone out of the craft.  The object remained above the mission for about forty-five minutes, after which it rose up into the sky and vanished.  At 8:30, several smaller crafts appeared, followed twenty minutes later by the return of the first “ship.”  This display was observed until nearly 11 p.m., when clouds obscured the sight.

The following night, the larger craft, with its four-humanoid crew, reappeared over the mission, followed by two smaller ones.  Gill later wrote, “On the large one, two of the figures seemed to be doing something near the center of the deck.  They were occasionally bending over and raising their arms as though adjusting or ‘setting up’ something.  One figure seemed to be standing, looking down at us.”

Father Gill's sketch of his unexpected visitors.

Gill--obviously feeling that every extraterrestrial was merely a friend he hadn’t met yet--waved amiably at the figure.  “To our surprise,” Gill related, “the figure did the same.  Amanias waved both arms over his head; then the two outside figures did the same.  Ananias and myself began waving our arms, and all four seemed to wave back.  There seemed no doubt that our movements were answered.”

After a bit more of this friendly back-and-forth waving, Gill--perhaps getting a bit bored with his Close Encounter--went inside for his dinner.  When he reemerged from the mission, the “ship” had moved away, but was still visible.  After church services had ended at 7:45, Gill went outside to look for the craft, but it was too cloudy to tell if it was still in the vicinity.  The next night, his new friends made yet another appearance in the sky--this time, he counted no less than eight objects over the mission.  A few hours later, there was an “ear-splitting explosion” above the mission’s roof.  The roof was undamaged, so the source of the noise was unknown.

Perhaps the sound was just the visitors saying “goodbye,” because the strange airships were never seen around the mission again.