; Phantoms and Monsters: Pulse of the Paranormal

Friday, June 28, 2013

Update: The Curious Case of Alfred Burtoo


I originally posted this narrative in June 2010...but, I have since gathered a few more interesting bits of information to add:

On August 12, 1983, 77-year-old Alfred Burtoo was enjoying some fishing in the Basingstoke Canal in Aldershot, Hampshire, United Kingdom. He was a keen and experienced fisherman, and since the weather report predicted a warm, fine night, he set off from his home in North Town, Aldershot, at 12:15 a.m., accompanied by his dog Tiny. On reaching Government Road he headed toward his fishing site, about 120 yards north of the Gasworks Bridge.

Because of its many military establishments Aldershot is known as "The Home of the British Army," and Alfred Burtoo himself had an Army background, having served in the Queen's Royal Regiment in 1924 and the Hampshire Regiment during World War II. Well known as a historian, he had in his time worked as a farmer and gardener, and while living in the Canadian outback hunted bear and fought wolves. Prior to his experience he had read no books or magazines on the subject of UFOs, which held no interest for him, yet much of what he claimed has been corroborated by other witnesses.

After getting comfortable, his concentration on the water was interrupted by a bright light descending from the sky. Whatever this was, it landed not too far away from Burtoo. There was a Mod base in the vicinity, and he thought maybe he had seen a helicopter land. Burtoo had just poured himself a cup of tea, when his dog Tiny became very nervous. Two beings suddenly appeared out of the darkness. "They were about four foot high, dressed in pale green coveralls from head to foot," Burtoo told reporters. "and they had helmets of the same color with a visor that was blacked out." The two beings beckoned for him to follow them. He obliged. Burtoo would later say that he was afraid of nothing, and regarding his encounter, which would have terrified most people, said: "What did I have to fear? I'm seventy-eight now and haven't got much to lose."

Burtoo followed the two strange beings until they arrived at a flying saucer that had set on the ground. He ascended the stairs leading up to the craft until he could go no further. The ceiling was too short and he had to bend over to continue. He was now inside of a black, metallic chamber. The room had a foul smell, like decaying meat.

"I did not see any signs of nuts or bolts, nor did I see any seams where the object had been put together," he recalled. "What did interest me most of all was a shaft that rose up from the floor to the ceiling. The shaft was about four feet in circumference, and on the right-hand side stood two forms similar to those that walked along the towpath with me."

The curious old fisherman was then instructed to stand underneath an orange light. This light seemed to scan his body for several minutes. "What is your age?" asked one of the beings, in a voice which sounded like "a mixture of Chinese and Russian". When he told them his age, he was told that he could go. He was told he was too old and sick for their purposes. Burtoo then walked out of the ship, down the stairs and back to this fishing spot.

"The first thing I did was to pick up my cold cup of tea and drink it," he recalled. "...then I heard this whining noise, just as if an electric generator was starting up, and this thing lifted up then took off at a very high speed. I got into what I had come out for...the fishing!" He would later tell newsmen that it was one of the greatest experiences of his life.





There was no physical evidence of the crafts landing, and no marks of any kind on Burtoo. He did experience some loss of appetite and weight loss as well as some difficulty sleeping, but that passed after a short time. Burtoo was the only witness, and we may have to take his word, as he was not given to making up stories, and had no reason to perpetuate a hoax. He gained nothing from his experience except being in the local papers. Despite Mr Burtoo having passed away on August 31st, 1986, with almost religious regularity the local news papers write an abbreviated story about Mr.Burtoo’s encounter each year to coincide with the anniversary of this now famous encounter, and always they trivialize the case, running him down and generally making this witness a laughing stock.

His wife, Majorie, was asked if he had every confessed to her that the encounter was a hoax. She vehemently denied that Burtoo lied..."what Alf told you was the absolute truth. My friend who was with me when Alf came home can verify what he said. He looked absolutely shaken and he told both of us about his experience that he had with the UFO...."

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Top UFO Expert Confirms Man’s Astounding Claim

A 77-year-old man says he was taken aboard a spacecraft by four-foot-tall aliens wearing green suits and helmets - and a top UFO expert who has lectured to British government leaders says his astounding story is true.

Recalling his terrifying abduction, Alfred Burtoo of Aldershot, England, revealed that the strange squat creatures examined him under an amber spotlight, then told him: "You can go. You are too old and infirm for our purposes."

Burtoo said the phenomenal encounter with otherworldly beings occurred early in the morning last August 12, as he was fishing in a canal.

"I spotted a light in the sky coming toward me," he recalled. "I thought: 'It can't be an airplane, because it's only 300 feet off the ground. I wonder if it's a helicopter?'

"It landed behind some bushes, which blocked my view. Then I saw two shapes emerge from the bushes.

"They were about four feet high and dressed from head to foot in pale green coveralls. They had helmets of the same color, with their visors blacked out. I stood frozen to the spot in terror.

“It must be a terrible dream, I told … (The rest of the text in this sentence and the next is not readable. JW)

Timothy Good, who has also lectured on UFOs before a top British government commission probing UFO reports, told THE ENQUIRER:

"I am convinced this man is telling the truth."

Good, who has also lectured on UFOs at universities throughout England, said he interviewed Burtoo more than 12 times over several months and subjected him to a battery of questions. Burtoo always told the same story, exact in every detail. Good also investigated Burtoo’s background.

“There is no doubt in my mind that he was taken aboard an alien craft," concluded Good, who’s also an author and consultant to the British Broadcasting Corp.

Omar Fowler, chairman of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena, which includes pilots and scientists among its members, added: "This is really an exciting case. I believe it to be genuine." - The National Enquirer, July 17, 1983

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Man goes fishing – is caught by flying saucer

ANGLER ALFRED BURTOO has quite a different tale to tell after his fishing trip to a remote canal.

It was he who got caught - by little green men who took him aboard their flying saucer.

The astonishing incident occurred at Aldershot, England, where experts are convinced of the validity of his story. Comments Omar Fowler of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena: "I've been investigating UFO sightings for 16 years, and this is the most sensational thing that's ever happened."

Burtoo, 77, accompanied by his dog. Tiny, was fishing in the canal when, he says, the flying saucer landed.

"I saw a bright light coming towards me and it hovered just over the railway line" he recalls.

"It then settled on the bank, I went to have a look, and two figures dressed in pale green suits came towards me.

"They were about four feet tall and had dark visors covering their faces.

"One of them beckoned me and I followed them to the steps.

"I wasn't afraid - I was more curious than anything."

Burtoo then describes going aboard the UFO.

"It was made of a kind of burnished aluminum, and I climbed some steps and went inside” he says.

"I walked across the room and one of the aliens spoke to me in a kind of sing­song voice, with an accent something between Russian and Chinese.

"He asked me to stand under the amber light. I couldn't see it at first, because there was a kind of black tube blocking my view.

"Then I saw it and went and did as I was told.

"After a few moments, they then asked me to turn around, which I did. They asked me how old I was, and I told them the truth.

"Then they said I could go because was I too old and infirm for their purpose."

Burtoo left the spaceship and was halfway along the towpath when it took off.

Burtoo says: "I didn't believe in flying saucers until this happened to me.”

Believed

Although Burton told his wife, son and a neighbor about his close encounter, he didn't report it officially because he didn't think he'd be believed.

There have been dozens of unexplained reports of unidentified flying objects in the area during the past 15 years.

Says, Fowler: "I was very skeptical about his story when I went to interview him.

"But he came out with things he couldn't possibly have known about unless he'd been studying UFOs for years.

"I'm convinced his story is absolutely true and this actually happened." - Examiner, Jan 24, 1984

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FISHERMAN HOOKED BY UFO

Over 500 Americans claim to have been abducted by strange beings piloting flying saucers. Their stories usually include a description of the interior of the vehicle. Often they are given a physical examination, and usually they carry psychological scars for several years. Similar incidents occur in other countries around the globe.

According to the ALDERSHOT NEWS, a small British newspaper, 77-year old Alfred Burtoo had a close encounter while fishing on August 12, 1983. Mr. Burtoo was alone except for his small dog. He was fishing in the Basingstoke Canal about 1:15 a. m. when he saw a light approaching in the sky. Quickly, the light grew in size and became a large saucer-shaped thing with a dome on top and a row of ports around the center.

The saucer landed nearby and two small humanoids dressed in pale green coveralls, with dark visor covering their faces, came out and beckoned Burtoo to come to them. As he followed them up some steps and through a doorway he noted that the object appeared to be made of burnished aluminum.

One of the critters told him to cross the room and stand under an amber light. He said it spoke in a sing-song voice with a strange accent. Next, he was told to turn around and finally was asked to state his age. When he said he would soon be 78 years old he was told he was too old and sickly to be of value.

He walked out of the saucer and down the steps. When he was only a short distance away the craft rose, flew over the military ceme­tery, and turned towards Tongham.

Mr. Burtoo told his family and neighbor about his experience, but made no official report until an American Air Force officer acknowledged a sighting in the same general area. Now that his experience is public knowledge maybe his fears will subside and he will be able to sleep again.

A British expert said: "I am convinced his story is absolutely true and this actually happened." If so who is next? - UFO’s Confidential, Jan, 1984, Vol 1 No.5

NOTE: I've always been a bit wary of this case, though, a few people I have talked to who were knowledgeable of this encounter find it significant that Burtoo had no prior interest in UFOs and technology. Still, this story does leave a lot of questions that will never be answered...Lon


Sources:
Walking Through Walls and Other Impossibilities: The Hybrid Agenda
ufoevidence.org
user.cs.tu-berlin.de
Ufos In Reality: Programmed Aerospace Monitors Of Our Species
beamsinvestigations.org.uk
forteantimes.com
nicap.com
Nightmare Alley: Fearsome Accounts of Alien Abduction: New Evidence You Could Become Their Next Victim!
ufos.about.com
graylien.110mb.com