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This digging, as Simon Butler said on television, soon revealed on astonishing fact:
Twenty-one other people, mainly scientists and academics, had vanished in the same mysterious circumstances. They were among the 400 researched - ostensibly for an extended version of the Brain Drain program - by the Science Report team.
Some, as Butler explained, had disappeared entirely on their own. Others, like Patterson, had gone with their families. All had told neighbors or colleagues that they were going to work abroad.
However, as we have already indicated, only part of the story was presented on television. Many facts were still not known at the time of transmission. And much material which was known was censored from the program.
The principal censor was Leonard Harman, Assistant Controller of Programs (Admin), who also tried to neuter this book.
Letter dated August 9, 1977, from Leonard Harman to Messrs. Ambrose and Watkins:
I have been given to understand that you propose writing a book based on one of the Science Report programs produced by this company and that you plan to publish certain confidential memoranda concerning this program which I originated or received.
You should know that I am not prepared to sanction such publication and that I would consider it a gross invasion of my privacy.
I suggest that the book you are apparently preparing would savor of irresponsibility for, as you are undoubtedly aware, my company has now formally denied the authenticity of much of the material presented in that program.
It is to be hoped that you do not proceed with this project but, in any event, I look forward to receiving a written
undertaking that no reference will be made to myself or the memoranda.
Letter dated August 12, 1977, from lawyer Edwin Greer to Leonard Harman:
I have been instructed by Mr. David Ambrose and Mr.Leslie Watkins and I refer to your letter of the 9th inst.
My clients are cognizant of the statement made by your company following the transmission of the Alternative 3 program and, in conducting their own inquiries, they are mindful of the background to that statement.
They point out that any copies of memoranda now in their possession were supplied willingly by the persons who either received them or sent them and that they therefore feel under no obligation to give the undertaking you seek.
One of the first batches of memoranda we received related to a curious discovery made by researcher Terry Dickson in the middle of May, 1976. By that time, despite objections from Harman, the Science Report team had been enlarged and allocated its own production office. The Brain Drain program had by then been withdrawn from the series - with the intention of the investigation being presented, as it eventually was, as a one-off special.
Mémo daté du 17 Mai 1976, de Terry Dickson à Chris Clements - c.c.(pour info seulement) à Fergus Godwin. Contrôleur des Programmes :
Nous avons maintenant établi que relatives of at least two more of our missing people, le Dr. Penelope Mortimer et le professeur Michael Parsons, reçurent des lettres qui semblent être venues d'Australie. Dans les deux cas les lettres, qui cessèrent après 4 ou 5 mois, bore the address used in the Pendlebury case.
Les photographies du Dr. Mortimer et du professeur Parsons, supposément prises en Australie, montrent l'environnement utilisé dans les clichés de Pendlebury. Les oiseaux et les nuages sont tous identiques.
Comme vous l'aviez demandé, j'ai demandé à un indépendant de Sydney de vérifier l'adresser donnée dans les lettres. Il indique qu'il s'agit d'un appartement avec une chambre à deux lits au rez-de-chaussée près du bord de mer et qui est maintenant vide depuis près d'un an. Il était occupé, apparemment, par un américain d'âge moyen nommé Denton ou Danton (il n'a pu vérifier l'orthographe).
Les voisins disent que Denton ou Danton était distant et secret. On ne lui connu pas de visiteurs. Notre homme dit que des rumeurs locales prétendent qu'il avait des liens avec la CIA. Souhaitez-vous qu'il suive les traces de Denton/Danton et voulez-vous que j'arrange still pix of the flat ?
Mémo daté du 13 Mai 1976, de Leonard Harman à M. Chris Clements :
A copy of Dickson's note concerning inquiries made in Australia, without my authorization, has been passed to me in the absence of the Controller of Programs. I have already issued specific instructions that I am to be kept fully informed on all aspects of this project. Please repeat those instructions to Dickson and all other members of the Science Report team - and ensure that they are fully understood.
I am surprised to learn that, despite my earlier warnings, you are apparently still determined to waste company time and money. Let me remind you that Science Report is regarded by the Network as a serious program and that its credibility can only be damaged by this wild - goose course on which you are set.
The more I learn of this affair, the more obvious it becomes that you are losing your objectivity as an editor. Many people do disappear quite deliberately because, for personal reasons, they wish to break all contact with their pasts and make completely fresh starts. I will not tolerate this station turning that sort of situation in an excuse for silly sensationalism.
I had assumed that you were experienced enough to recognize that you are clearly being hoaxed over this business of the photographic backgrounds. Now, I gather from Dickson's note (which, I repeat, should also have been sent to me), that you are apparently getting involved in "local rumors" - supplied by a freelance journalist we have never before used - about some man whose name you don't even know having "connections with the CIA".
Have you considered that some of your so-called mysteries might have been caused by incompetence on the part of your staff?
Did Dr. Ann Clark, for example, refuse to grant Benson a second interview because she found his manner offensive during the first one?
Did Dickson confuse the date fixed for the interview with Robert Patterson and so send an expensive unit on a fool's errand to Scotland?
These are the questions which should be occupying your attention, not some nonsense at the other end of the world I am not prepared to sanction any further expenditure in Australia and I recommend, once again, that you resume the duties prescribed in your contract.
Mémo daté du 19 Mai 1976, de Chris Clements à Terry Dickson :
CONFIDENTIEL. Je joins une copie d'un rollicking I've just had from Harman. It's self-explanatory and, for the moment, I'd like you to keep it to yourself. In future don't send carbons to anyone before checking with me.
We'd better soft-pedal for the moment on Australia. Will you line up Mortimer and Parsons parents to be interviewed by Simon or Colin?
Please ignore that snide comment about Robert Patterson. Not worth getting upset over. And please don't mention that about Ann Clark to Colin. He sometimes gets a color-chip on his shoulder, as you know, and it isn't like that. This is just Harman being Harman.
Six jours plus tard, le 25 Mai, Terry Dickson apporta à Clements de mauvaises nouvelles. On aura aucune interview des Mortimers des Parsons, dit-il. Ils ont changé d'avis et refusent d'avoir quoi que ce soit à voir avec le programme.
Mais pourquoi ? demanda Clements. Ils vous ont sûrement donné une raison.
Aucune, dit Dickson. They just say they'd sooner not.
You think they've been got at ?
Dickson shrugged, pulled a face. That's the impression I got but proving it...that's another matter.
They're important, love...have another go at them.
Dickson did. But Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer were adamant. So were Mr. and Mrs. Parsons. Not one of them, despite having
agreed earlier, would have anything further to do with Science Report. We tried to contact them in September, 1977,
but we were too late. Neighbors said they had gone to live abroad. And they had left no forwarding addresses.
This whole question of the staged photographs - and of the forged letters - was deliberately omitted from the
television program. Clements admits that he now regrets having left them out for, as he now realizes, they were an
intriguing feature of the Alternative 3 operation. He explains that he didn't see what significance they could
possibly have - and because of pressure from Harman.
He told us: "At the time I thought Harman was nit-picking. They didn't seem important enough to merit all the aggro I was getting from him. Of course, if I'd known then what I know now...
We were equally baffled by those photographs and letters. We intended to mention them, just as we have,
simply so that you would know all the circumstances. But as for offering any explanation...we were prepared to
recognize that would not be possible. That was how it seemed until January 3, 1978, when we received an envelope from
Trojan. The contents provided an unexpected insight into what they call The Smoother Plan.
Trojan's covering note explained that he had discovered the attached document - an early directive to
Alternative 3 cells in various parts of the world - in an otherwise empty archives file.
In fact, he had sent a Photostat copy of the document. It was dated November 24, 1971, and it had been
issued by "The Chairman, Policy Committee." It was addressed to "National Chief Executive Officers" and it read:
The recent publicity which followed the movement of Professor William Braishfield was unfortunate and
potentially damaging. In order to avert and repetition, it has been agreed to adopt a new procedure in all cases where
families or others are likely to provoke questions.
The procedure, to be known as The Smoother, is designed to allay fears or suspicions in the immediate
post - movement period.
Department Seven will arrange for letters to be sent, in appropriate handwriting, to reassure those whose anxiety might constitute a security risk. It is usual for people to send home photographs of themselves in their new surroundings.
Arrangements will therefore also be made for the dispatch of suitable photographs.These photographs will
be taken immediately before embarkation.
A list of manned cover addresses will be circulated to National Chief Executive Officers by Department
Seven. Officers will then allocate addresses to individual movers.
At least four addresses will be provided in each"country of destination" - so enabling Officers
to"separate" any movers who may originate from the same area. There is, however, no limit to the number of movers who
can be allocated to any of the addresses.
It nay prove necessary to change the addresses from time to time and Department Seven will notify
Officers of such changes.
The Smoother Plan will operate for a maximum of six months in respect of each individual, unless
circumstances are exceptional, for that is considered long enough to provide a reasonable "break - off period".
It is emphasized that, because of the administration involved, The Smoother Plan is to be activated in selected cases only.
The sole criterion will be if, in the opinion of the Officer responsible, there could be a publicity
risk. Most movers, certainly all those taking families, will not merit this treatment. Components of Batch
Consignments, obviously, will not be considered.
Suddenly it made sense. It was clinical and cruel. But it still made sense.
The Pendleburys idolized
their son. That was why they got those cheerful and gossipy letters - written by a stranger they would never meet.
Ann Clark had left no-one who would have expected letters. Friends might have been offended, perhaps, if
they'd written but got no reply. But they would not have been sufficiently offended to have turned it into a great
public issue.
As for Robert Patterson...well, he took his family with him.
But these people, and others like them, had apparently all gone willingly. Where had they gone? And why?
It is now clear that Brian Pendlebury deliberately took part in the conspiracy to fool his own parents. Such behavior
might seem beyond any logical explanation. But we must point out, in fairness to Brian Pendlebury, that his actions
must be measured against the nightmare background to Alternative 3. That background, you might feel, excuses them all.
Well...almost.
Jeudi 3 Mars 1977. Une autre réunion du Comité de Police sous-marin. Président : R EIGHT. La section de transcription fournie par Troie commence :
A TWO: Bien sûr, Ballantine était assez ordonné... personne ne bitching about Ballantine... mais what about Carmell?
A EIGHT: On le trouvera... he's still on the loose somewhere in London... but we'll damned well find him...
R SEVEN: Un homme comme lui autorisé hors d'Amérique... c'était une sale, sale erreur...
A EIGHT: Pour Christsake... s'il-vous-plait... ne recommençons pas that crap again... I told you last month that our people goofed... now didn't I tell you that?
R SEVEN: Oui, mais c'est particulièrement sérieux quand...
A EIGHT: Ecoutez... il n'y a pas besoin de tourner cela en un cas Fédéral. Il n'a pas eu la bande et, aussi longtemps qu'il ne l'a pas eue, il n'y a pas de grande panique...
R THREE: Avons-nous une quelconque idée de l'endroit où la bande peut être ?
A EIGHT: Non... that's just one hell of a mystery... nous avons tout retourné chez Ballantine mais il n'y a aucun signe...
R EIGHT: Et elle n'étais pas avec lui dans la voiture quand il est mort ?
A EIGHT: Non... absolument pas. Notre homme était juste là avec lui...
A TWO: Donc, nous ne savons pas où est Carmell et nous ne savons pas où est la bande... Pourquoi affirmer qu'ils ne se sont pas déjà trouvés ?
A EIGHT: Parce qu'il n'aurait pas attendu, voilà pourquoi... il l'aurait déjà fait surgir.
R ONE: Il y a-t-il des observations de Carmell ? Ou suppose-t-on en gros qu'il est à Londres ?
A EIGHT: Il était dans un hôtel à Earls Court... il y était avec une fille... nos gens l'ont manqué d'environ 1 h...
R TWO: Et maintenant ?
A EIGHT: Notre information est qu'il vit probablement living rough and keeping on the jump... couple nights here, couple of nights there... but it's only a matter of time...
R EIGHT: Time is important... particularly with that tape still missing... perhaps we should put more operators into London...
A TWO: The guy's right... we ought to saturate the town... Jeez ! With a character like Carmell at large...
A EIGHT: Ok, ok... so we'll step it up...
A THREE: We've got muscle to spare in Paris and...
A EIGHT: I said we'll step it up - all right?... so just let me handle the details...we'll get Carmell
and that damned tape.
R EIGHT: I look forward to hearing of both achievements at our next meeting...Now, you have all seen the expediency report on Peterson?
R TWO: Entirely satisfactory...
A FIVE: I'm still not sure he deserved a hot job...
R FOUR: Very few men deserve to die but for some it is necessary...and Peterson was one of them...
A ONE: That's right...and, remember, people don't suffer long with a hot job...it is instantaneous...
R EIGHT: Dr. Carl Gerstein...the old man...it was agreed at the last meeting that he should be kept under surveillance...what is the news on him?
A EIGHT: No news...he's been laid up with bronchitis and, apart from his housekeeper, he's seen no - one for weeks.
R EIGHT: So the situation, then, is unchanged...I recommend that we maintain observation on the old man...are we all agreed?...Good...Now, we have had a request from Geneva for more Batch Consignments of animals...
A SEVEN: Yeah...I've already got things shifting on that one...we'll be taking cattle from Kansas and Texas and ponies from Dartmoor...had a bit of a snarl-up over transport but lifts are now scheduled for the second week in July...
R EIGHT: How many beasts will be in each Batch?
We never learned the reply to that last question. That was where the transcript section ended. We have no concrete evidence of cattle disappearing in significant numbers from either Kansas or Texas during the second week of July, 1977,although there were complaints of an increase in rustling at that time.
However, we do know - because it was published in the Daily Mail on July 15 - that the pony-lift from Dartmoor ended in disaster.
That section of transcript also emphasizes how close Dr.Carl Gerstein - the person mentioned merely as "the old man"in the February transcript - was unwittingly hovering near sudden death. If an Expediency order had been agreed by the Policy Committee - at either the February or the March meeting in 1977 - Simon Butler would never have been able to interview Gerstein at Cambridge. And Alternative 3 might never have been exposed.
How would Gerstein have died? Probably, like Ballantine and Professor Peterson, the aerospace expert, in what the Policy Committee call a "hot job". And, as was pointed out by the anonymous A ONE, a hot-job death is instantaneous. We have had that confirmed by pathologist Professor Hubert Radwell who gave evidence at the Ballantine inquest.
Professor Radwell, when pressed about the "extensive" burns on Ballantine's body, eventually made this
statement:
It was technically accurate to describe Ballantine's body as having been extensively burned although
those words embrace only part of the truth. They represented an understatement. I was requested to make that
understatement in order not to promote any unnecessary public alarm.
I was conscious, of course, that there had been some degree of public hysteria following earlier
reported instances of spontaneous combustion and I agreed that it would be of no benefit for all the details to be
described at that hearing.
I now regret having made that decision and I welcome this opportunity to correct the record.
Ballantine's body was not merely burned. It was reduced to little more than cinders and scorched
bones.His skull had shrunk because of the intense heat to which he had been subjected and yet his clothing was hardly
damaged.
There were small scorch marks on the leather cover of the steering wheel, obviously where Ballantine's
hands had been gripping it at the time of the incident,but the rest of the vehicle showed no evidence of burning.
However, extensive damage was suffered by the vehicle, as the police stated at the inquest, and
Ballantine's spine was severed by the engine which had been hurled backwards after breaking free.
This is the first occasion on which I have personally encountered spontaneous combustion in a human
being but I have studied papers relating to twenty-three similar occurrences. The effect can be likened to that seen
during the micro-wave cooking of a chicken, except, of course, that it is far more severe. The chicken flesh is
roasted within seconds although the covering skin is not charred and any receptacle containing the chicken remains
cold enough to be handled.
There is still no known explanation for this phenomenon.
We asked Professor Radwell if it were conceivable that spontaneous combustion could be deliberately
induced. He replied: "The Americans and the Russians have certainly been experimenting along those lines, with a view
to developing spontaneous combustion as a remote-controlled weapon, but the results of those experiments have been
kept secret. I would consider that the possibility of them having been successful is highly unlikely..."
Highly unlikely! Almost everything connected with Alternative 3 is highly unlikely. The super-powers
actively pooling scientific information - that is highly unlikely. So is the conspiracy of silence about the real
achievements in space. But the terrifying truth is that it has been happening. And that it continues to happen.
Le Mercredi 10 Février 1977 - 3 jours après l'audition de Ballantine's - the American, Harry Carmell,
telephoned the Science Report office at Sceptre Television. Colin Benson took the call and he thought, at first, that
he'd got another crank on the line. The man was being so guarded and mysterious - refusing even to give his name.
And, particularly since the transmission of the Mechanical Maids program, there's been a spate of crank
callers.
It was strange, really, the way some viewers had reacted to the robot servants. One man had angrily accused anchorman Simon Butler of having stolen his invention - claiming that he'd been working on an identical model for five years in his attic. Two women had wanted to know if there was a domestic agency where they could hire these maids. And an ardent trades-unionist had given a heated tirade about Sceptre encouraging "cheap, scab labor".
Cet étrange américain, semblait-il à Benson, entrait parfaitement dans la catégorie des crank - jusqu'à ce qu'il dise être au courant de la disparition de scientifiques. Ce fut lorsque Benson mis en route le magnétophone attaché au téléphone. Voici la transcription du reste de cette conversation :
BENSON: Pouvez-vous répéter cela, s'il-vous-plait... ce que vous avez dit à propos des scientifiques...
CARMELL: J'ai dis que je sais pourquoi ils disparaissent... et qui est derrière çà...
BENSON: Alors dites-moi... pourquoi et qui ?
CARMELL: Pas au téléphone... Je ne peux pas parler au téléphone...
BENSON: En bien, vraiment, c'est un peu...
CARMELL: Ecoutez, je ne spécule pas... vous savez ce qu'ils ont fait à Ballantine...
BENSON: Ballantine ?
CARMELL: Sir William Ballantine l'astronome...
BENSON: Oh oui, j'ai lu... l'accident de voiture...
CARMELL: Je l'ai rencontré quand il est venu au QG de la NASA à Houston... c'est pour çà qu'il est mort...
BENSON: Désolé... ça ne semble pas être très censé...
CARMELL: Peut-on se rencontrer ?
BENSON: Que voulez-vous dire c'est pour çà que Ballantine est mort ?
CARMELL: Pas plus sur la ligne... soit on se rencontre soit je vais voir ailleurs...
BENSON: D'où appelez-vous ?
CARMELL: Une cabine publique... à environ 1 mile au Nord de vos studios...
BENSON: Alors pourquoi ne pas venir ici ?
CARMELL: Trop risqué... vous ne connaissez rien de moins voyant ?
BENSON: Ecoutez... Monsieur... mons...
CARMELL: Harry. Appelez-moi juste Harry.
BENSON: Ok. Maintenant, Harry, vous n'êtes pas en train de m'avoir, n'est-ce pas ? Je veux dire, vous étiez vraiment avec la NASA ?
CARMELL: Une rue peuplée serait l'idéal...
BENSON: Très bien... eh bien on le fera à votre manière... Il y a un grand marché de rue juste au coin des studios... vous ne pouvez pas le manquer... qu'est-ce que vous en dites ?
CARMELL: Indiquez-moi un endroit dans ce marché... et comment vous reconnaîtrai-je ?
BENSON: Il y a une boîte-aux-lettres à l'extérieur d'un fruitier nommé Drages... et vous n'aurez pas de mal à m'identifier. Je porte une veste bleu sombre et je porterai un livre rouge... et il se trouve que je suis né en Jamaïque...
Le rendez-vous fut fixé pour 1 h plus tard. Et si vous avez vu cette édition spéciale de Science Report vous saurez déjà ce qui arriva exactement par la suite. Simon Butler dit aux spectateurs :
Ce que vous allez voir pourrait être considéré par nombre d'entre vous comme anti-éthique. Cependant, nous pensons qu'à la lumière des développements suivants notre action fut justifiée. Une caméra cachée fut installée près du marché. (Note de l'auteur : la caméra fut en fait installée dans un Kiosque d'Information pour Touristes). Benson fut équipé d'un émetteur miniaturisé afin que nous puissons enregistrer leur conversation.
Nous devrions préciser que nous avons défié Sceptre Television sur l'éthique en filmant de cette manière - en particulier au regard des Carmells à l'évidence préoccupée par le secret. Clements défendit cette décision en indiquant que le film n'aurait pas été diffusé si les événements avaient évolué différemment. Il est avéré, cependant, que Clements et la société furent par la suite réprimandées par la Independent Broadcasting Authority.
Voici, verbatim de la transcription de cette pièce de film TV controversée, la conversation qui eu lieu dans le marché :
BENSON: Je crois que vous me cherchez - Colin Benson.
CARMELL: Oui... bonjour... merci d'être venu... écoutez, quelque chose que je dois savoir : jusqu'où comptez-vous aller avec ce truc ? Je veux dire, jusqu'au bout ?
BENSON: C'est ce pourquoi je suis ici. Vous pouvez aider ?
CARMELL: Je peux aider... et si vous voulez une confirmation vous devriez parler au Dr. Carl Gerstein.
BENSON: Gerstein?
CARMELL: Carl Gerstein... il est à Cambridge. Parlez lui de Alternative 3.
BENSON: Vous parlez par énigmes, Harry... qu'est-e que Alternative 3 ?
CARMELL: Plus tard... on procède à ma manière - d'accord ?
BENSON: D'accord.
CARMELL: Allons... marcher un peu, hm?
BENSON: Très bien.
Viewers will recall that the sound quality was poor during this interview, en particulier pendant la section où ils discutent de Carl Gerstein et de Alternative 3. Il y avait beaucoup d'interférence statique et le micro de radio de Benson captait également les voix des passants et les bruits du traffic. La plupart des mots, cependant, était suffisament compréhensibles.
CARMELL: Je suis désolé si je semble un peu nerveux - c'est principalement parce que je le suis.
BENSON: Nerveux à propos de quoi ?
CARMELL: (Rire bref) De contracter un cas fatal de rougeole... Vous voyez ce que je veux dire ? Comme Ballantine ?
BENSON: Mais c'était à coup sûr un accident... Je me souviens d'avoir lu dans les journaux qu'il y avait une sorte de dérapage anormal...
CARMELL: Bétises ! En aucun cas ce n'était un accident... c'était ce qu'ils appelent une Expédience et je sais ce qui s'est vraiment passé... Et je dois le mettre sur enregistrement avant qu'il m'atteignent...
BENSON: Ils ?
CARMELL: Ecoutez, contentons-nous de me laisser vous dire ce que j'ai à vous dire, d'accord ?
BENSON: Si c'est ce que vous souhaitez...
CARMELL: Parfait ! C'est ce que je souhaite... cette adresse, demain matin, 10 h 30. Amenez tout ce que vous avez - caméras, magnétophones, témoins - c'est le genre de protection dont j'ai besoin. J'aurai alors toutes les réponses pour vous...
BENSON: Hey ! Attendez une minute... revenez...
He grabbed at Carmell's sleeve, tried to stop him, but Carmell was too fast. He jerked his arm free, dashed through the narrow gap between two fruit stalls, and disappeared in the crowd thronging the center of the road. Benson was disappointed. The whole elaborate set-up, it seemed to him then, had been a ridiculous waste of time. He looked at the scrap of paper which Carmell had pushed into his hand. On it was scrawled an address in Lambeth.
Alors, qu'en pensez-vous ? demanda-t-il plus tard à Clements.
"Follow through, love, of course. I'll fix for you to have a film-crew tomorrow morning."
And what about this Gerstein character?" "I'll talk to Simon...see if he fancies a trip to Cambridge.
So that's how it was left la soirée du 10 Février 1977. Simon Butler, qui interviewa le Dr. Carl
Gerstein des années avant pour les Independent Television News, was to go to the university. Colin Benson was
to keep the Lambeth appointment.
Both were due for surprises. Particularly Colin Benson.
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