Boianai

What the file holds

A search of the Project Blue Book series in the National Archives catalogue for “Boianai” on 15 October 2026 finds four file units. Two hold clippings about later sightings in New Guinea, filed as “No Case (Information Only)” under 23 October and 23 November 1959 (NAIDs 28985234 and 28985473). The papers of June 1959 are in a unit titled “New Guinea, June 1959” (NAID 28983630), 18 images:

• the Project Blue Book record card (image 1);
• Air Intelligence Information Report No. 1,403,022 of the US Air Attaché in Australia, “(C) Report on Investigation UFO Activity in New Guinea”, prepared by Major Mance C. Smith on 21 January 1960 and approved by Colonel Andrew E. McDavid, 15 pages (images 2–16). It holds a report of the Victorian Flying Saucer Research Society of Melbourne (images 3, 4), Gill’s own report, dated at Boianai on 14 July 1959, with his letters, data sheets, sketches and a signature list (images 4–15), and “an evaluation prepared and furnished this office by an interested local agency” (images 15, 16);
• a clipping of the APRO Bulletin, “RAAF Statement on Gill Sightings” (image 17);
• the Blue Book list “JULY 1959 SIGHTINGS”, on which New Guinea does not appear (image 18).

The fourth unit, titled “Albuquerque, N.M., January 1958” (NAID 28976909), holds copies of the APRO Bulletin of 1960, the bulletin of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Its March issue prints the RAAF letter without redactions (image 26).

The names of Gill, of the mission and of the witnesses are redacted throughout the New Guinea file. The name comes from that printing of the RAAF letter, which speaks of “Reverend W. Gill’s report of U.F.O. activities in the Boianai area of New Guinea” (APRO Bulletin, March 1960, p. 2). Gill’s report calls him “chief observer and sole recorder and reporter of the Boianai phenomena on those dates” (image 4), and the data sheets in the file are copies: “The data entitled ‘U.F.O DATA BOIANAI’ later in this report is a copy of the original recorded during the actual time of observation by the reporter.” (image 6)

The nights of 26 and 27 June

Gill’s report names three evenings of “Main recordings”: “June 21st, 26th and 27th” (image 4). At one in the morning of Sunday 21 June a teacher at the mission saw “a bright light (white) silently coming out of the sky”, and under it “about four round black spots”; Gill wrote the account down two days later, “as told … by the observer June 23, 1959” (image 7).

On 26 June, by the data sheet, at 6:45 p.m. Gill “Sighted bright white light from front direction N.W.”, under “Patches of low cloud”. At 6:52 someone whose name is redacted “arrives. Confirms not star like other night. Coming closer, not so bright, coming down 500 ft?, orange?, deep yellow?” Then:

“6:55 Send [redacted] to call people. One object on top, move - man? Now three men - moving, glowing, doing something on deck. Gone.

7:00 Men 1 & 2 again.

7:04 Gone again.

7:10 Man 1,3,4,2 (appeared in that order). Thin elct, blue spot light. Men gone, spot light still there.” (image 8)

At 7:10 the sky column reads “Cloud ceiling covered sky c. 2000′”, and at 7:20 “UFO goes through cloud.” The sketch of this object, “A”, is captioned: “A rough sketch of UFO as observed between 6:55 p.m. and 7:22 p.m. by 38 witnesses at Boianai, T.P. & N.G., Friday June 26, 1959. This sketch is a reasonable reproduction of UFO which was clearly visible and mostly stationary for 25 minutes.” Of the signatures under it, all redacted, two are marked “Teacher” and “Schoolboy” (image 11).

From 8:28 p.m. the sheet records more lights: “UFO seen by me overhead. Call station people.” At 8:50: “Big one stationary and larger - the original (?) Others coming and going through clouds. … All UFO’s very clear - satellites? ‘Mother’ ship still large, clear, stationary”; at 9:30: “‘Mother’ gone across sea towards Giwa - white, red, blue, gone.” The last entries are “10:50 Very overcast, no sign of UFO.” and “11:4 Heavy rain.”, and the sheet is signed as the “Data sheet of observation of UFO’s 6:45 - 11:4 p.m. June 26, 1959” (images 8, 9). In a letter filed before it, Gill wrote: “Last night we at Boianai experienced about 4 hours of UFO activity, and there is no doubt whatsoever that they are handled by beings of some kind. At times it was absolutely breathtaking.” (image 8)

On Saturday 27 June: “Large UFO first sighted by [redacted] at 6 p.m. in apparently same position as last night (June 26, 1959) only seemed a little smaller … We watched figures appear on top - four of them - no doubt that they are human.” One figure “seemed to be standing looking down at us (a group of about a dozen).” (image 11) Then:

“I stretched my arm above my head and waved to our surprise the figure did the same. [redacted] waved both arms over his head then the two outside figures did the same. [redacted] and self began waving arms and all four now seemed to wave back. There seemed to be no doubt that our movements were answered.” (images 11, 12)

Gill sent for a torch and “directed a series of long dashes towards the UFO. After a minute or two of this, the UFO apparently acknowledged by making several wavering motions back and forth.” It then seemed to grow, “apparently coming in our direction. It ceased after perhaps half a minute and came on no further.” At 7 p.m.: “No. 1 UFO still present but appeared somewhat smaller - observers go to church for Evensong.” At 7:45: “Evensong over and sky cloud covered - visibility V.L.” (image 12)

The lights of 28 June, the report says, “are significantly different in appearance from any previously described” (image 6). That night at 11:20 Gill heard “A sharp metallic and loud bang on Mission House roof”, and the next morning: “Roof examined. No apparent sign of mark or dent, which one might expect after last night’s noise.” (image 13)

A note on a later light, of 8 July, adds: “The boat Kekaha (?) was at Wedau wharf on the evening of July 9th. If this information interests you it would be worth checking on the movement and activity of that boat then.” (image 15) It concerns that light, not the nights of 26 and 27 June.

How many signed

Gill’s report describes the night of 26 June (images 5, 6):

“1. On the night of June 26th immediately following the disappearance of the UFO through cloud, 38 witnesses were brought together into a well-lighted room.

2. On separate sheets of paper three observers, namely [redacted], drew what they thought they saw. Each worked in separate parts of the room. Then the sketches were compared and it was found that each resembled the other differing only in size of drawing.

3. Representatives of groups who thought they observed ‘men’ on the UFO wrote their signatures under the respective headings.

4. All observers were briefly addressed by the reporter and given the opportunity of signing a paper stating that a UFO as described in the sketches were seen by them. It was pointed out that they must be truthful and sign only if they believed that they saw the UFO as represented by the three drawings. 27 observers of a total of 38 voluntarily signed.”

The paper is in the file, headed “PAPER SIGNED BY MAJORITY OF WITNESSES AT 7:45 p.m. - June 26, 1959”, with the names redacted and some of the functions left: “Teacher”, “Medical Assistant” (image 14). The sketch of the object “A” says “by 38 witnesses” (image 11): the number of those present. The society’s report gives the same count, “up to a total of 38 persons during the principal sightings at Boianai, 27 of whom signed the original statement examined by VFSRS investigators” (image 3), and Gill writes of “the 27 eye-witnesses whose names appear on the signature list” (image 4). No document in the file speaks of 38 signatures.

Gill himself set out what could have shaped the result:

“There may have been undue influence by suggestion of a European observer over a less sophisticated or inexperienced native body; there may have been influence caused by subservience of the native body of ‘witnesses’ towards the European observer.” (image 5)

He also noted that a sketch by a Papuan observer showed under the object four “black spots”, which “are replaced in subsequent descriptions and drawings by what appeared to be four straight legs or stands pointing diagonally downwards”, and asked: “Can it be assumed therefore that suggestion played no part in respect of this detail upon the minds of observers in subsequent sightings”. (image 5)

On 27 June, the evening of the waving, Gill counts “a group of about a dozen” (image 11). The file holds no signatures for that evening.

What the officials concluded

The Project Blue Book record card summarizes: “Bright white light, upon hovering appeared to have men moving about on top. Varied rpts of similar descritpion. See rpt for details.” Its comments: “The preparing officer indicates the possibility of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars being responsible for some of these sightings. US and USSR satellites were also indicated as possibly being responsible. Sky conditions at the time were probably responsible for shapes & other characteristics.” Its conclusion, under “Other”: “Misinterpretation of Astro Bodies” (image 1).

The evaluation in the attaché’s report was written after a visit to Gill “at his home in Sassafras, Victoria” on 29 December 1959. Gill “stated that until late June 1959 he had not considered UFO’s seriously and even now was not convinced that what he had observed in the sky were, in fact, UFO’s. He added that he would be prepared to accept any logical explanation for the phenomena.” (image 15) The evaluation places the waving on “the night of the 26th June” (image 16); Gill’s notes place it on Saturday the 27th (images 11, 12). Its conclusion, paragraph h:

“Although the [redacted] could be regarded as a reliable observer, it is felt that the June/July incidents could have been nothing more than natural phenomena colored by past events and the subconscious influences of UFO enthusiasts. During the period of the report the weather was cloudy and unsettled with light thunder storms. Although it is not possible to draw firm conclusions, an analysis of rough bearings and angles above the horizon does suggest that at least some of the lights observed were the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Light refraction, the changing position of the planet relative to the observer and cloud movement would give the impression of size and rapid movement. In addition, varying cloud densities could account for the human shapes and their sudden appearance and disappearance.” (image 16)

The reporting officer added: “This office concurs with the conclusions drawn in paragraph h above.” (image 16)

The RAAF answered a letter of 25 January 1960 from Peter Norris, whom the APRO Bulletin calls “Representative Peter Norris of Australia”. Squadron Leader F. A. Lang wrote on 22 February:

“An officer of this Directorate has investigated Reverend W. Gill’s report of U.F.O. activities in the Boianai area of New Guinea, and copies of his findings have been submitted to proper authorities. As mentioned in our 114/1/201 (22) dated 14th February, 1957, such reports are not releasable to the public. However, although it is not possible to reach any positive conclusions, we do not believe that the phenomena observed by the Reverend Gill and his party were manned space vehicles. An analysis of bearings and angles above the horizon does suggest that at least three of the lights were planets, e.g., Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.” (APRO Bulletin, March 1960, p. 2)

The words “(22) dated 14th February, 1957, such” are legible only on the clipping in the New Guinea file (image 17). The bulletin’s editor added: “see if you can stretch your imagination to the point where Mars, Saturn and Jupiter will fly pell mell across the sky at great speeds, and with men standing on them and waving, yet!”

Where it was

The reporting officer gives the position in a sentence that also places the village of Wedan: Boianai is “located at 10° 02′ S - 149° 53′ E” (image 16). The pin is that position, converted by us to 10.03° S, 149.88° E. The file does not say how the position was fixed. The data sheet names places around the mission: Dogura and Menapi, Wadobuna village, and Giwa (images 8, 9).

Why this scores where it does

Witnesses: 3. The society describes Gill as aged 31: “A qualified teacher, he completed over eight years of service as a missionary in New Guinea.” (image 3) Teachers and medical assistants were among those who signed (images 3, 14). Not more: one man was “chief observer and sole recorder and reporter” (image 4), and the signatures were collected after he had addressed the group (images 5, 6).

Radar and optics: 0. No instrument. Gill “was unable to take photographs because he had no film at the time of the sightings.” (image 16)

Physical trace: 0. None for 26 and 27 June. After the bang of 28 June: “No apparent sign of mark or dent” (image 13).

Multi-channel: 1. Everything about the two nights passes through Gill’s notes, and the sketches and signatures were made in one room under his direction. The other reports in the file, of 21 June and at Gubanauna Point, come from other observers.

Documentation: 4. Notes kept during the observations, sketches and a signature list made the same night, a report of 14 July 1959 and the attaché’s report of January 1960 with an evaluation. Not 5: the data sheets in the file are copies (image 6), retyped into the attaché’s report, and Gill “has taken the liberty of making alteration to original data. The HAND-SPAN which originally read as 8 inches now reads as five inches.” (image 6) The RAAF officer’s findings are not in the file.

Anomaly: 2. Taken as written, figures that wave back fit nothing identified. Both official readings put at least some of the lights down to planets, and on the first night Gill himself wrote “satellites?” (image 9).

Data today: 2. The Blue Book copy is public, with the names redacted. Gill’s original notes, the signature list and the RAAF officer’s findings are not in the releases.

The overall is 1.4: class D, testimony only.

What would settle it

• The findings of the RAAF officer who “has investigated Reverend W. Gill’s report”, of which “copies … have been submitted to proper authorities”, and the RAAF file the letter cites as “114/1/201 (22)” (APRO Bulletin, March 1960, p. 2; image 17).
• The bearings and angles behind “at least three of the lights were planets”, which neither the RAAF letter nor the evaluation gives.
• Gill’s original notes, of which the file holds “a copy of the original” (image 6), and the original signature list, which the society says its investigators examined (image 3).