Flying Saucer Review November-December 1979 [antikvár]

PHYSICAL ASSAULT BY UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS AT LIVINGSTON Part IMartin Keatman Andrew CollinsThis report tias been specially prepared for UFOIN and Flying Saucer ReviewThe UFO phenomenon often throws up encounters of a staggering nature, but rarely does it provide an opportunity for an immediate and in depth investigation that permits the substantiation of such events. In the following case the investigators were lucky; a claimed close encounter of the second kind involving a reliable witness, a landed object that left significant traces, two independent devices that .physically assaulted the percipient, severe post physiological and psychological effects, confirmation and other sightings, and a thorough investigation within one week of the incident. These combine to complete what must surely be the most important landing case ever to have been reported and recorded in the annals of British Ufology.Mr. Robert Taylor, a forestry foreman from Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland, claimed that whilst carrying out his routine daily duties in the forests on Friday, November 9, nTi, he came across a strange domed object resting silently on the ground in a secluded clearing. Intrigued he watched, until two weird spheres with protruding spikes came hurtling towards him and toppled on to his sides, whereupon he fell unconscious. On waking he heard a wooshing noise and looked up to see that the object had gone. He had pains in his chin and legs, he had an intense headache and thirst and he could not walk or speak. With difficulty he crawled back to his pick-up truck some 300 metres away, but although being unable to control it, he was now able to struggle home on foot. Later, on returning with others the same day, remarkable physical traces were found to support his story. These also provided significant evidence for the investigators.Such were the details of the claim as they reached our ears on Monday, November 12, 1979, after varying reports in the Sunday newspapers.* Hasty arrangements were made for the authors to visit the area on behalf of UFOIN. By speaking to Mr. Malcolm Drummond Bob Taylor's superior. on the Tuesday, we were able to arrange to meet the witness the following day, and he would take us to the site. Contact was also established with all the other authorities in the area, including the local police and newspapers, in order to pave the way ahead.'After seeing the report in The Sunday Express on November ]1 (see World Round-up m FSR Vol. 25, No. 5) the Editor of F^inf, Saucer Review asked Miss J. Randies if it would be possible to arrange for UFOIN investigation of the report.Initial contact with percipient and environmentThe authors arrived in the area late in the afternoon of Wednesday November 14, and made straight for Mr. Taylor's place of work, the Livingston Development Corporation (LDC) at Rosebank, Livingston. Travelling through the area around Livingston, a Scottish new town and satellite of Edinburgh, one somehow gets the impression of being in Canada, with immense and colourful factory complexes covered in fresh snow, and an interwoven maze of new roads constructed over the past twenty years. Everything is conveniently placed and laid back out of reach, as if lifted straight from a drawing board.Both Mr. Drummond and Mr. Taylor were there to greet us on our arrival, and the latter immediately took us to the spot where the incident was said to have occurred. A drive of some 3 kms took us to an area known as Dechmont Woods, via a recently-built housing estate which lies scattered around an unkept mud track. This is bordered by the amenity forests planted by the LDC Forestry Commission.Bob Taylor led us across open pasture land, through the neatly planted trees, and on to the location where his experience took place. Unfortunately, because of heavy snow that had been falling on and off since the previous Sunday, the site was completely covered with a glistening white sheet. Mr. Taylor indicated the exact position the object had been, and told us of the fence erected by the LDC on the day of the incident. This was to "protect" the indentations. As could be expected, the knowledge of the experience had reached many ears by this time, and it was obvious that dozens of people had tramped up through the snow to the site, almost treating it as a pilgrimage. You can imagine our feelings when we were greeted with the sight of a large snowman built in the centre!Due to encroaching darkness only a tentative investigation was carried out at the site, with the agreement that all concerned should return next day to remove the snow, thus allowing a thorough analysis to be made.We then returned to Livingston with Mr. Taylor, and spent the rest of the day interviewing him, his wife, his daughter and one of his sons. During the first evening we questioned Bob at length, and it is from this interview that we present the following account. Despite rapid questioning for more than three hours, and subsequent