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UFO Crash Landing? Friend or Foe?
s/t: The Full Story of the Rendlesham Forest Close Encounter
On December 26, 1980, in a blaze of light, something mysterious and unexplained plunged from the sky around England's Rendlesham Forest. Noted Ufologist Jenny Randles offers a spellbinding, detailed examination of the event, evaluating all the information, including the local environment's odd features, the existence of top-secret experiments, and the identities of government agents involved. But she leaves you, finally, to digest the countless facts, clues, and theories, and decide what the truth actually is.... 232 pages, 30 b/w illus.
On December 26, 1980, in a blaze of light, something mysterious and unexplained plunged from the sky around England's Rendlesham Forest. Noted Ufologist Jenny Randles offers a spellbinding, detailed examination of the event, evaluating all the information, including the local environment's odd features, the existence of top-secret experiments, and the identities of government agents involved. But she leaves you, finally, to digest the countless facts, clues, and theories, and decide what the truth actually is.... 232 pages, 30 b/w illus.
- GenresNonfictionMystery
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Jenny Randles
66 books31 followersBritish author and former director of investigations with the British UFO Research Association (BUFORA), serving in that role from 1982 through to 1994.
Randles specializes in writing books on UFOs and paranormal phenomena. To date 50 of these have been published, ranging from her first UFOs: A British Viewpoint (1979) to Breaking the Time Barrier: The race to build the first time machine (2005). Subjects covered include crop circles, ESP, life after death, time anomalies and spontaneous human combustion.
Randles specializes in writing books on UFOs and paranormal phenomena. To date 50 of these have been published, ranging from her first UFOs: A British Viewpoint (1979) to Breaking the Time Barrier: The race to build the first time machine (2005). Subjects covered include crop circles, ESP, life after death, time anomalies and spontaneous human combustion.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 21, 2018
The is a well researched non-fiction UFO book mostly about the Rendlesham Forest UFO landing (that's in England). Ms. Randles was very open about her research and her findings. If you're interested in good research and not a lot of theory, then this is the book for you.
May 21, 2024
RANDLES LOOKS AGAIN AT THE RENDLESHAM FOREST UFO REPORT
Jenny Randles is a British author and ufologist, who served as director of investigations with the British UFO Research Association (BUFORA) from 1982-1994. (She is also a pioneering Transgender woman, having been named ‘Christopher Paul’ at birth.)
She wrote in the Preface to this 1998 book, “peace was shattered by something plunging from the skies. It fell to the ground in a silent blaze of light … The US Air Force had to react swiftly to such an unlikely event…[But] how does ANYONE deal with something so unconventional as this?.. The thing that had dropped from the sky early on 26 December 1980 was not a Soviet spy plane. Nor was it a terrorist attack… just what CAN you do when the cause of panic is both unexpected and unexplained? When it is something, perhaps quite literally, out of this world. A UFO had crashed to Earth in East Anglia that night---and many lives could never be the same again. Mine would soon be one of them and this book will tell you why.”
She recounts, “The first time I wrote about this case was in 1984, in a … book called ‘Sky Crash,’ with two brave colleagues (Brenda Butler and Dot Street)… I admire Brenda and Dot greatly but they were enthusiasts not methodical scientists. They … collected little systematic data and it was a struggle to figure out what had actually taken place. Moreover, when we put ‘Sky Crash’ together there was too little information about the case… As frustrated researchers, it was really very difficult to put together any sort of coherent account. Thankfully, that situation has much improved.” (Pg. 15)
She notes, “All radio and radar recordings from that time have long since been disposed of; consequently, we can provide no more information. However, Squadron Leader Webster added a verbatim transcript of the log entry… This is fascinating in that it establishes for the first time documented evidence that Bentwaters did attempt to obtain radar verification of an unknown object…” (Pg. 45)
She states, “The Woodbridge patrolman … [said he was] taken by security police… to a spot some half a mile … from the back gate… After taking the patrol car as far as it could go, they walked the rest of the way and throughout this trip ‘the only light that we saw shining through the trees or even in the area was that of the Orford Ness lighthouse.’” (Pg. 92)
She recounts, “Most controversial of these USAF personnel is Larry Warren---a 19-year old on his first tour of duty at Bentwaters. He came forward in early 1983 and was the first military witness publicly to do so… I must say that I have always found Larry Warren to be a friendly, likeable and helpful man... If he stood alone as a witness I would probably accept his testimony. However, not everyone seems to share that view. Several of the military witnesses …have told me that they feel that Warren may not even have been involved… Warren is also nearly alone among the military in contending that aliens were present in the woods and engaged in some sort of open contact with a senior USAF officer… Resolving the problem of Larry Warren’s role in this case is perhaps its greatest single difficulty and will be exacerbated by the publication of his book… I have no way of knowing if he was really present. I must take his word for that and yet also make my readers aware that others seem to dispute some … of what he has to say… Warren appears to me to have been genuinely associated with the case in some way. Yet his evidence is sufficiently different that, clearly, it has to be viewed with a degree of circumspection.” (Pg. 104-106)
Of the lighthouse theory, she comments, “The skeptics say their case is strengthened here. A bearing for the object is given on tape and this is a close approximation to the position of the lighthouse Or Orford Ness. If you measure the gaps on the tape between the light appearing and disappearing, through phrases like ‘There it is again,’ there is another match with the pulse frequency of the lighthouse. Moreover, the image of an ‘eye winking at you’ is certainly reminiscent of a rotating lighthouse beacon. One can see why critics of this case reel that they have a point.” (Pg.113)
Of the ground traces, she notes, “There are rabbit marks in the forest. I have seen them. It is not impossible that this is the cause of the ‘pod’ marks at the site. However, all of the witnesses that I have spoken to with dispute that theory and this includes some who have spent quite a bit of time in the country. They also point out that it would be some coincidence that, as the landed UFO had three legs, the rabbit holes at the site would so readily mimic this landing configuration. It is difficult to decide the truth here…” (Pg. 168)
Of Ian Ridpath’s explanation, she says, “Could this startling case really boil down to a combination of such ordinary circumstances? The option is not as ludicrous as it appears for there are quite a few pieces of linking evidence… Ridpath was right about the dating. Might he not also have bene correct to claim that the initial UFO was a fireball meteor blasting across the skies on that night?” (Pg. 179)
She acknowledges, “Frankly, the first time I was the lighthouse I was 80 percent convinced that this was the explanation. When I first heard the Halt tape this conviction rose to 90 per cent. It only plummeted after talking to eye-witnesses like John Burroughs who were actually out there…” (Pg. 181)
She concludes, “I stand by my belief that this case is the most important n British UFO history. Whether the case was terrestrial, or extraterrestrial, natural or unresolved, it offers major home truths about the greatest mystery of the twentieth century. It shows that even the most outstanding case cannot prove beyond doubt that the earth faces alien contact, but more disturbingly might instead imply that the culprits are … cynical humans from some power-hungry administration.” (Pg. 209)
This book will be of great interest to anyone studying this case, or other UFO-related topics.
Jenny Randles is a British author and ufologist, who served as director of investigations with the British UFO Research Association (BUFORA) from 1982-1994. (She is also a pioneering Transgender woman, having been named ‘Christopher Paul’ at birth.)
She wrote in the Preface to this 1998 book, “peace was shattered by something plunging from the skies. It fell to the ground in a silent blaze of light … The US Air Force had to react swiftly to such an unlikely event…[But] how does ANYONE deal with something so unconventional as this?.. The thing that had dropped from the sky early on 26 December 1980 was not a Soviet spy plane. Nor was it a terrorist attack… just what CAN you do when the cause of panic is both unexpected and unexplained? When it is something, perhaps quite literally, out of this world. A UFO had crashed to Earth in East Anglia that night---and many lives could never be the same again. Mine would soon be one of them and this book will tell you why.”
She recounts, “The first time I wrote about this case was in 1984, in a … book called ‘Sky Crash,’ with two brave colleagues (Brenda Butler and Dot Street)… I admire Brenda and Dot greatly but they were enthusiasts not methodical scientists. They … collected little systematic data and it was a struggle to figure out what had actually taken place. Moreover, when we put ‘Sky Crash’ together there was too little information about the case… As frustrated researchers, it was really very difficult to put together any sort of coherent account. Thankfully, that situation has much improved.” (Pg. 15)
She notes, “All radio and radar recordings from that time have long since been disposed of; consequently, we can provide no more information. However, Squadron Leader Webster added a verbatim transcript of the log entry… This is fascinating in that it establishes for the first time documented evidence that Bentwaters did attempt to obtain radar verification of an unknown object…” (Pg. 45)
She states, “The Woodbridge patrolman … [said he was] taken by security police… to a spot some half a mile … from the back gate… After taking the patrol car as far as it could go, they walked the rest of the way and throughout this trip ‘the only light that we saw shining through the trees or even in the area was that of the Orford Ness lighthouse.’” (Pg. 92)
She recounts, “Most controversial of these USAF personnel is Larry Warren---a 19-year old on his first tour of duty at Bentwaters. He came forward in early 1983 and was the first military witness publicly to do so… I must say that I have always found Larry Warren to be a friendly, likeable and helpful man... If he stood alone as a witness I would probably accept his testimony. However, not everyone seems to share that view. Several of the military witnesses …have told me that they feel that Warren may not even have been involved… Warren is also nearly alone among the military in contending that aliens were present in the woods and engaged in some sort of open contact with a senior USAF officer… Resolving the problem of Larry Warren’s role in this case is perhaps its greatest single difficulty and will be exacerbated by the publication of his book… I have no way of knowing if he was really present. I must take his word for that and yet also make my readers aware that others seem to dispute some … of what he has to say… Warren appears to me to have been genuinely associated with the case in some way. Yet his evidence is sufficiently different that, clearly, it has to be viewed with a degree of circumspection.” (Pg. 104-106)
Of the lighthouse theory, she comments, “The skeptics say their case is strengthened here. A bearing for the object is given on tape and this is a close approximation to the position of the lighthouse Or Orford Ness. If you measure the gaps on the tape between the light appearing and disappearing, through phrases like ‘There it is again,’ there is another match with the pulse frequency of the lighthouse. Moreover, the image of an ‘eye winking at you’ is certainly reminiscent of a rotating lighthouse beacon. One can see why critics of this case reel that they have a point.” (Pg.113)
Of the ground traces, she notes, “There are rabbit marks in the forest. I have seen them. It is not impossible that this is the cause of the ‘pod’ marks at the site. However, all of the witnesses that I have spoken to with dispute that theory and this includes some who have spent quite a bit of time in the country. They also point out that it would be some coincidence that, as the landed UFO had three legs, the rabbit holes at the site would so readily mimic this landing configuration. It is difficult to decide the truth here…” (Pg. 168)
Of Ian Ridpath’s explanation, she says, “Could this startling case really boil down to a combination of such ordinary circumstances? The option is not as ludicrous as it appears for there are quite a few pieces of linking evidence… Ridpath was right about the dating. Might he not also have bene correct to claim that the initial UFO was a fireball meteor blasting across the skies on that night?” (Pg. 179)
She acknowledges, “Frankly, the first time I was the lighthouse I was 80 percent convinced that this was the explanation. When I first heard the Halt tape this conviction rose to 90 per cent. It only plummeted after talking to eye-witnesses like John Burroughs who were actually out there…” (Pg. 181)
She concludes, “I stand by my belief that this case is the most important n British UFO history. Whether the case was terrestrial, or extraterrestrial, natural or unresolved, it offers major home truths about the greatest mystery of the twentieth century. It shows that even the most outstanding case cannot prove beyond doubt that the earth faces alien contact, but more disturbingly might instead imply that the culprits are … cynical humans from some power-hungry administration.” (Pg. 209)
This book will be of great interest to anyone studying this case, or other UFO-related topics.
February 6, 2026
There is so much detail in this book about government agencies and other cover-ups that I felt lost and distracted at times. I guess I expected more from the witness interviews and firsthand accounts. Randles clearly knows her stuff and is obviously an expert in the subject matter, but I was more interested in the Suffolk aspect and wanted more from the residents. It just didn't work for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews