From: Georgina Bruni <georgina@easynet.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 13:36:56 -0000
Fwd Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 19:44:11 -0500
Subject: Transcript Of Halt Tape (part I)


TRANSCRIPT OF THE HALT TAPE (Part I)
Investigating the landing site

The following full transcript is of a tape recording that was made
by Lt Colonel Halt during his investigation into the Rendlesham
Forest incident in December 1980. This was taken from the
original copy, which is much clearer than the one in the public
domain. It was sent to me by Colonel Sam Morgan, via General
Gordon Williams. I post here for discussion.

Permission to publish as long as the source is quoted:
Halt transcript from "You Can't Tell The People".

This transcript and many more details relating to the "Halt tape" are
featured in my book.

Notes:

There are background radio conversations throughout the recording;
most feature radio transmissions between Sgt Bustinza and Central
Security Control. Due to these messages being in the background
however, more often than not they are overpowered by Colonel
Halt’s voice talking into his pocket recorder, so only those that are
clear are translated here. My own comments are in brackets.

Rendlesham Forest, December 1980

LT COLONEL HALT: (Officer in charge) 150 feet or more from
the initial, I should say suspected impact point. Having a little
difficulty,
we can’t get the light-all to work. There seems to be some kind of
mechanical problem. Let’s send back and get another light-all.
Meantime, we’re gonna take some readings from the Geiger counter,
and err, chase around the area a little bit waiting for another light-all to
come out again.

SGT BUSTINZA: [on a radio in the background, obviously trying to
organise more light-alls] ...to security control.........that’s mark ....
155...number.....

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, we’re now approaching an area within
about 25-30 feet. What kind of readings are we getting.....err

Break in tape

SGT NEVILLES (Geiger Operator)  Just minor clicks,

LT. COLONEL HALT minor clicks

Break in tape

VOICE OVER: [These voice overs are recorded over the initial
recording and are not related to incident. It is the voice of Colonel
Conrad, the Base Commander] Do you think it’s going to be a nice
day today?

VOICE OVER: Yeah, I think so

LT COLONEL HALT: What are the impressions?

SGT NEVILLES: Just one, but....

LT COLONEL HALT: Is that all the bigger they are?

SGT NEVILLES: Well, there’s one more well defined over here.

SGT BUSTINZA: [on a radio] ...Sergeant Bustinza to security
control....

LT COLONEL HALT: We’re still getting clicks

SGT BUSTINZA: ….. Sergeant Bustinza. Well we’re outta gas...
we’re at east gate...east gate, over

LT COLONEL HALT: Can you read that on the scale?

SGT NEVILLES: [examining the area with a Geiger counter]
Yes Sir. We’re now on a five tenths scale and we’re reading
about..er..third, fourth………

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, we’re still comfortably safe here?

SGT BUSTINZA: [on a radio] you don’t have a light-all or [?] …
.....or anything....duty security. Can you hear me?....Sergeant....
a light all, with gas please.

LT ENGLUND: [the on duty Flight Chief] We’re still getting
minor readings.......we’re getting a good indentation.

SGT BUSTINZA [on radio] ... security D to security

SGT NEVILLES: This one’s dead

LT ENGLUND: Let’s go to the third one over here

SGT NEVILLES: Sort of, whatever it is.

SGT BUSTINZA: [on radio] ....Sergeant Bustinza .....security.....

SGT NEVILLES: Yes, now getting some residual.

LT. COLONEL HALT: How can you read that? The meters
definitely giving off pulse.

LT ENGLUND: About the centre

LT COLONEL HALT: Yes, I was gonna say, let’s go to the
centre of the area next, see what kind of reading we get out there.
Keep reading the clicks. I can’t hear the clicks. Guess you all....
is that about centre Bruce [asking Lt Bruce Englund]

LT ENGLUND: Yes

LT COLONEL HALT: OK let’s go to the centre.

SGT NEVILLES: Yes I’m getting more.......

LT COLONEL HALT: That’s about the best deflection of the
needle I’ve seen yet. OK, can you do an estimation? We’re on a
point five scale, we’re getting ....having trouble reading the scale.

LT ENGLUND: At err, approximately 0125 hours

Break in tape

NOISE OVER: Deep cough

SGT NEVILLES: We’re getting rad at err a half a [sounds like
milliren]

UNKNOWN VOICE: Chuck. [This is Colonel Halt’s name,
Charles, known as Chuck]

Break in tape

NOISE OVER: Loud gong noise. [Not connected with the forest
recording]

LT COLONEL HALT: ......... best point, I haven’t seen it go any
higher.

LT ENGLUND: Well, it’s still flying around

LT COLONEL HALT: OK we’ll go out toward the....

LT ENGLUND: Now it’s picking up ...

LT COLONEL HALT: This out toward the indentation were we
first got the strongest reading. It’s similar to what we got in the centre.

SGT NEVILLES: Right near the pod. It’s right near the centre.

LT ENGLUND: This looks like an area here across where there could
be a blast. It’s in the centre.

LT ENGLUND: It jumped up towards seven.....

LT COLONEL HALT: What?

LT ENGLUND: It just jumped towards seven tenths there.

LT COLONEL HALT: Seven tenths, right there in the centre?

LT ENGLUND: Ah, Ah.

LT COLONEL HALT: We found a small blast what looks like a
blasted or scruffed up area here. We’re getting very positive readings.
Let’s see, is that near the centre?

LT ENGLUND: Yes it is.

SGT NEVILLES: Well, we assume it is..

LT ENGLUND: This is right in the centre....dead centre...

SGT NEVILLES: picking up more as you go along the whole area there
now...

LT COLONEL HALT: Up to seven tenths.......

SGT BUSTINZA: [on radio, still struggling with the transmissions] .....
55, this is our last call......

LT COLONEL HALT: .......or seven units. It’s going on the point five
scale.

Break in tape

LT COLONEL HALT:  OK why don’t we do this, why don’t we make
a sweep now I’ve got my gloves on now. Let’s make a sweep out around
the whole area about ten foot out and make a perimeter run around it,
starting right back at here at the corner, back at the same first corner
where we came in. Let’s go right back here.... now I’m gonna have to
depend upon you counting the clicks.

LT ENGLUND: Right.

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, get the light-all on it.

LT ENGLUND: Lets sweep around it

SGT NEVILLES: It was flying

Break in tape

LT COLONEL HALT: Put it on the ground every once in a while.

BACKGROUND: We have lights nearby.......

LT ENGLUND: This looks like an abrasion on the tree......

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, we’ll catch that on the way back,
let’s go around

LT ENGLUND: We’re getting interest right over here. It looks like
it’s an abrasion pointing into the centre......

LT COLONEL HALT: It is

LT ENGLUND: .....of the landing area.

LT COLONEL HALT: it may be old though. There’s some sap
marks or something like that. Let’s go on back around.

UNKNOWN VOICE: Err

Break in tape

SGT NEVILLES: It also gives some extension on it.

LT COLONEL HALT: Hey, this is an awkward thing to use, isn’t it?

SGT NEVILLES: Normally you see I carry it on my...on my ears
but this one broke.

LT COLONEL HALT: Are we getting any further? I’m gonna shut
this recorder off until we find something.

SGT NEVILLES: Picking up

LT COLONEL HALT: Pickin up.. What are we up to? We’re up
to two-three units deflection. You’re getting in close to the pod?

SGT NEVILLES: Picking up something...picking up.

LT COLONEL HALT: OK. It’s still not going above three to four
units.

SGT NEVILLES: Picking up more though, more frequent.

LT COLONEL HALT: Yes, you’re staying - you’re staying steady
up around two to three to four units now.

SGT BUSTINZA: [still struggling with the radio] 155

LT ENGLUND: Each one of these trees is facing at a blast, what we
assume is a landing site, all have abrasion facing in the same direction
towards the centre. The same.......

LT COLONEL HALT: Let’s go around a circle here. Turn back down
here.

MASTER SGT BALL: Try the other tree.

SGT NEVILLES: Picking up something ...a ........

LT COLONEL HALT: Let me see that. You know I’ve got a funny .......
you’re worried about the abrasion. I’ve never seen a tree that’s, err..

MASTER SERGEANT BALL: That’s a small sap mark

LT COLONEL HALT: I’ve never seen a pine tree that’s been
damaged, react that fast. [Interference, voices all talking together]

SGT NEVILLES: You got a bottle to put that in?

LT COLONEL HALT: You got a sample bottle?

LT ENGLUND: Yes put out the...that’s for the soil sample.....
[interference]

SGT NEVILLES: Yes Sir.

VOICES: [excited]

LT COLONEL HALT: From now on let’s [gap] let’s....

LT ENGLUND: You’ll notice they’re all at the same...

LT COLONEL HALT: Let’s, lets, lets identify that as point number
one. That stake there. So you all know where it is if we have to
sketch it. You got that Sergeant Nevilles?

SGT NEVILLES: Yes Sir. Closest to the Woodbridge......

LT COLONEL HALT: Closest to the Woodbridge base.

SGT NEVILLES: Be point one?

LT COLONEL HALT: Be point one. Let’s go clockwise from there.

SGT NEVILLES: Point two?

LT ENGLUND Go ahead.........

LT COLONEL HALT: Point two. So this tree is between two and
point three.

MASTER SGT BALL: Burroughs and two other personnel requesting
..... riding on a jeep, that err, your location. [Airman John Burroughs
arrives with a patrol]

LT COLONEL HALT: Tell them negative at this time. We’ll tell them
when they can come out here. We don’t want them out here right now.

Break in tape

LT COLONEL HALT: OK the sample, you gonna want this sample
number one? Have em cut it off, include some of that sap and all.....
is between indentation two and three on a pine tree about err.....about
five feet away...about three and half feet off the ground.

SGT NEVILLES: ........I’ll just put it in there for now, I’ve got some
more..........

LT COLONEL HALT: There’s a round abrasion on the tree about three
and a half, four inches diameter. It looks like it might be old, but er,
strange
there’s a crystalline....pine sap that’s come that fast.

SGT FRAIL: [seems in the distance] .……Sergeant Frail……

LT COLONEL HALT: You say there are other trees that are damaged
in a similar fashion?

LT ENGLUND:........centre of the landing site............[interference]

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, why don’t you take a picture of that and
remember your picture. Hey, I hope you’re writing this down. It’s gonna
be on the tape.

SGT NEVILLES: You got a tape measure with you?

LT COLONEL HALT: This is your picture, the first picture will be at the
first tree, the one between err...mark two and three. Meantime, I’m gonna
look at a couple of those trees over here.

Break in tape

UNKNOWN VOICE: We are getting some.....

Break in tape

LT COLONEL HALT: We are getting readings on the tree. You’re
taking samples from on the side facing the suspected landing site?

LT ENGLUND: Four clicks max.

LT COLONEL HALT: Up to four. Interesting. That’s right were
you’re taking the sample now.

LT ENGLUND: Four

LT COLONEL HALT: That’s the strongest point on the tree?

SGT NEVILLES: Yes sir, and if you come to the back, there’s
no clicks whatsoever.

LT COLONEL HALT: No clicks at all in the back

SGT NEVILLES: Maybe one or two

LT COLONEL HALT: It’s all on the side facing the....interesting.

LT COLONEL HALT: Looks like it f.....… twisted as it got....as it
sat down on it, looks like something twisted it from side to side.

LT ENGLUND: Ah, Ah

LT COLONEL HALT: Very strange. We’re at the same tree we
took a sample of with this, what do you call it.....the starscope.

LT ENGLUND: Ah ah, Stargazer

LT COLONEL HALT: Getting a definite heat reflection off the tree,
about three to four feet off the ground?

LT ENGLUND: Yes...the same side in....

LT COLONEL HALT: the same place were the ......is

LT ENGLUND: .....we’re getting heat directly behind us. I think we
got the same thing off to your right.

LT COLONEL HALT: There are three trees in the area immediately
adjacent to the site within ten feet of the suspected landing site; we’re
picking up heat reflection off the trees.

LT ENGLUND: Shine the light on that Bob [Sgt Bob Ball]

LT COLONEL HALT: What’s that again?

LT ENGLUND: Well, shine the light on again Bob

LT COLONEL HALT: Why, you having trouble finding it...turn the
light on.

LT ENGLUND: ...then when you want em you’ll notice the white

[Suddenly there is a very strange humming sound and the men are silent]

LT COLONEL HALT: Hey...........[long silent gap apart from humming
noise]

LT COLONEL HALT: You’re right there’s a white streak on the tree.

LT ENGLUND: Indicates er.............

LT COLONEL HALT: Let’s turn around and look at this tree over
here now. Just a second. Watch, because you’re right in front of the tree.
I can see it. OK, give me a little side light so I can find the tree. OK,
ahh...

SGT BUSTINZA: [still on the radio] Alpha 2 security.......

LT COLONEL HALT: I’ve lost the tree.

LT COLONEL HALT: OK stop! Stop! Light off.  Hey, this is eerie.

MASTER SGT BALL: Why don’t you do the pods spots..............

LT COLONEL HALT: This is strange! Hey, does anyone wanna look
at the spots on the ground? Whoops! Watch you don’t step.....

BACKGROUND: Five beeps from a vehicle arriving on the scene

LT COLONEL HALT............you’re walking all over them. OK, let’s
step back and don’t walk all over em. Come back here - somebody and
put a beam on em. You’re gonna have to be back about ten, fifteen feet.
You see it ....

LT ENGLUND: OK fine.......

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, lights off.

Break in tape

VOICE OVER: [Colonel Conrad] He took this long to document......


LT COLONEL HALT: What do you think about the spot?

[Radio interference in background]

LT COLONEL HALT: Yeah

Break in tape

LT COLONEL HALT: ....ready at the first spot? OK, that’s what
we’ll call spot number three. Let’s go in the back corner and get
spot number one. Spot number one, here’s spot number one right
there, spot number one right there. Do you need some light? There
it is right here. ...you focused?

SGT NEVILLES: Focused

LT COLONEL HALT: OK......looking at spot number one through
the starlight scope.

LT ENGLUND: Picking up a slight increase in light as I go over it

LT COLONEL HALT: Slight increase in light in spot number one.
Let’s go look at spot number two. Spot number two’s right over here.
Right here, see it?

LT ENGLUND:...........................Slight increase

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, get focused on it. Tell me when,
OK lights on. Let’s see what we get on it.

LT ENGLUND: Slight increase

LT COLONEL HALT: Just a slight increase?

LT ENGLUND: Try the centre

LT COLONEL HALT: The centre spot, not really centre,
slightly off centre. It’s right there.

LT ENGLUND: Right here

LT COLONEL HALT: OK, we’re gonna get your reading on it
right there.

LT ENGLUND: OK

LT COLONEL HALT: Tell me when you’re ready.

LT ENGLUND: Ready

LT COLONEL HALT: OK lights on. It’s the centre spot we’re
looking at now; almost the centre.

LT ENGLUND: Getting a slight increase.

LT COLONEL HALT: Slight increase there. This is slightly off centre
toward the err..one - two side. It’s er..some type of abrasion or
something in the ground were the pine needles are pushed back were
we get a high radiact...err high reading about a deflection of er, two to
three, maybe four, depending on the point of it.

Note:
[this abrasion corresponds with the exact same position-just off centre
in landing site photographs taken by Ray Gulyas]

LT ENGLUND: Someone wanna check it?

Break in tape

SEGEANT NEVILLES: Yes

LT COLONEL HALT: Are you sure there’s a positive after effect?

SGT NEVILLES: Yes, there is, definitely. That’s on the centre spot,
there is an after effect.

LT ENGLUND: What does that mean?

SGT NEVILLES: It means that when the lights are turned off, once
we all focused in, allowed time for the eyes to adjust, we are getting an
indication of heat source coming out of that centre spot...as err.........
which will show up on the ...........

LT COLONEL HALT: Heat or some form of energy, it’s hardly heat
at this stage of the game.

SGT NEVILLES: But it is still heat......

Break in tape

LT COLONEL HALT: Looking directly overhead, one can see an
opening in the trees, plus some freshly broken pine branches on the
ground underneath. Looks like some of them came off about fifteen
to twenty feet up. Some small branches about inch or less in diameter.

Break in tape