Within Bentwaters
The memo that fixed Bentwaters in the record
Halt's memo tied Bentwaters to the official record because it was sent through the RAF liaison channel at Bentwaters.
On this page
- Who wrote the memo and where it went
- Why the recipient matters
- What the memo does not prove
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
Charles Halt’s memorandum of 13 January 1981 is the document that fixed the Rendlesham Forest incident into the official record. While witness statements, later books, and media accounts shaped public understanding, the memo created a formal paper trail linking the reported events to the military and government bureaucracy surrounding RAF Woodbridge and RAF Bentwaters. It remains one of the few contemporary official documents produced by a senior officer who claimed direct involvement in the investigation. Just as importantly, the memo did not remain inside a local unit file: it travelled through the RAF liaison channel at Bentwaters and reached the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), creating a documentary chain that historians, researchers, parliamentarians, and officials could later trace. [Ian Ridpath+2Hansard]ianridpath.comIan RidpathAppendix – Col Halt's memo to the MoDThis is the text of the single-page memo written by Lt Col Halt to the UK's Ministry of D…
The memo that fixed Bentwaters in the record
Who wrote the memo and where it went
The memorandum was written by Lieutenant Colonel Charles I. Halt, Deputy Base Commander of RAF Woodbridge, and was dated 13 January 1981, roughly two weeks after the reported events in Rendlesham Forest. Its subject line was “Unexplained Lights”. The document summarised reports from security personnel as well as observations made during Halt’s own night-time investigation. It described unusual lights, impressions in the ground, damage or abrasions on nearby trees, radiation measurements, and lights seen in the sky. [Ian Ridpath+2Wikipedia]ianridpath.comIan RidpathAppendix – Col Halt's memo to the MoDThis is the text of the single-page memo written by Lt Col Halt to the UK's Ministry of D…
The significance of the document lies not only in its contents but also in its administrative route. Parliamentary records and released MoD files show that the memorandum was sent to the RAF Liaison Officer at RAF Bentwaters. That routing placed the report into the formal UK–US military communication channel operating at the twin bases. Decades later, the MoD continued to describe its knowledge of the incident as deriving from the memorandum sent by Halt to the RAF Liaison Officer at Bentwaters. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters IncidentRendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters Incident - HansardJan 30, 2001 — The Ministry of Defence's knowledge of an investigation by the U…
The document subsequently entered Ministry of Defence files, where it became part of the archival record now held in released government papers. The National Archives catalogue identifies correspondence on the Rendlesham incident that includes Halt’s memorandum, demonstrating that the report moved beyond local military awareness and into central government record-keeping. [The National Archives]nationalarchives.gov.ukThe National ArchivesUFO reportsCorrespondence on the Rendlesham Forest incident. Printed letter from Charles I. Halt, Deputy Base Comman…
Why the recipient matters
The recipient is important because it explains why Bentwaters became inseparable from the historical record of the incident even though many of the reported events occurred near Woodbridge and Rendlesham Forest.
The RAF Liaison Officer served as the formal interface between the United States Air Force presence in Suffolk and the British authorities. By sending the memorandum through that channel, Halt ensured that the report became more than an internal American base matter. The document entered a process that could be reviewed, archived, and, eventually, released under government transparency procedures. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters IncidentRendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters Incident - HansardJan 30, 2001 — The Ministry of Defence's knowledge of an investigation by the U…
This administrative pathway also helps explain later references to “the Bentwaters incident”. In public memory, Bentwaters often became shorthand for the wider twin-base complex. The paper trail reinforced that association because the official communication route ran through the Bentwaters liaison structure rather than remaining solely within Woodbridge records. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters IncidentRendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters Incident - HansardJan 30, 2001 — The Ministry of Defence's knowledge of an investigation by the U…
Evidence from later released files indicates that the report was forwarded to the MoD with a covering letter from Squadron Leader Donald Moreland, an RAF liaison officer, who referred to the sightings as mysterious. That forwarding process demonstrates that the memorandum was treated as a matter requiring official awareness, even if it was not ultimately regarded as a defence threat. [The Guardian]theguardian.comThe GuardianUS base's report of UFO crash 'had MoD in a panic'Aug 28, 2001 — The Halt report was sent to the MoD with a covering letter b…
How the memo shaped the official record
The Halt memorandum became the central reference document whenever government officials were questioned about Rendlesham. Parliamentary answers in 1997 and 2001 repeatedly referred back to it when explaining what information the MoD possessed and how the case had been handled. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt: MemorandumLieutenant Colonel Charles Halt: Memorandum - Hansard14 Oct 1997 — The memorandum, which reported observations of unusual lights i…
This is unusual in the history of UFO reports. Many incidents rely on retrospective recollections recorded years later. The Halt memo, by contrast, was produced shortly after the events by a serving lieutenant colonel and on official United States Air Force stationery. Although only a brief summary rather than a full investigative report, it created a contemporaneous documentary anchor that later discussions could not easily ignore. [Ian Ridpath]ianridpath.comIan RidpathAppendix – Col Halt's memo to the MoDThis is the text of the single-page memo written by Lt Col Halt to the UK's Ministry of D…
The document’s influence grew further after its release into the public domain. Researchers, journalists, and government reviewers repeatedly treated it as the starting point for understanding what military authorities knew and what they considered noteworthy enough to report. [National Archives]cdn.nationalarchives.gov.ukNational Archives UFO filesNational ArchivesUFO files - August 2009 podcastA summary of the events were included in a famous memo to the MoD by Lt Col Charles Halt…
What the memo does not prove
The existence of an official memorandum is often misunderstood. The memo proves that Halt believed unusual events had been reported and that he considered them significant enough to document through official channels. It proves that the incident generated formal correspondence between the American military presence and British authorities. It does not, by itself, prove the cause of the reported phenomena. [Ian Ridpath]ianridpath.comIan RidpathAppendix – Col Halt's memo to the MoDThis is the text of the single-page memo written by Lt Col Halt to the UK's Ministry of D…
The memorandum records observations and interpretations rather than verified conclusions. Subsequent investigators and commentators have offered competing explanations for elements described in the document, including lighthouse beams, astronomical objects, meteors, animal activity, and observational errors. Critics and supporters alike continue to analyse the same text because the memo itself contains descriptions rather than definitive identifications. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRendlesham Forest incidentRendlesham Forest incident
The Ministry of Defence’s position illustrates this distinction. Officials acknowledged receiving and assessing the memorandum, but stated that it contained nothing judged to be of defence significance and therefore did not warrant further investigation. The document entered the record, yet acceptance of the report as an official document did not amount to endorsement of any extraordinary explanation. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt: MemorandumLieutenant Colonel Charles Halt: Memorandum - Hansard14 Oct 1997 — The memorandum, which reported observations of unusual lights i…
Why the paper trail still matters
For historians of the Rendlesham Forest incident, the most enduring value of the Halt memorandum is procedural rather than sensational. It provides a documented chain connecting witness reports, a senior American officer, the RAF liaison system at Bentwaters, and the British Ministry of Defence. That chain can be followed through parliamentary answers, released defence files, and archival records. [Hansard+2The National Archives]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters IncidentRendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters Incident - HansardJan 30, 2001 — The Ministry of Defence's knowledge of an investigation by the U…
As a result, the memo remains the key document linking RAF Bentwaters to the official history of the case. Whatever interpretation one adopts regarding the lights and observations themselves, the paper trail demonstrates that the incident moved from a local military report into the formal documentary record of two allied defence establishments. That administrative journey is why Bentwaters continues to occupy a central place in discussions of the Rendlesham Forest incident more than four decades later. [Hansard+2The Guardian]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters IncidentRendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters Incident - HansardJan 30, 2001 — The Ministry of Defence's knowledge of an investigation by the U…
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Further Reading
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Encounter in Rendlesham Forest
Covers the Rendlesham incident, official records, witnesses and the Halt memo context.
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Endnotes
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Rendlesham Forest incident
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendlesham_Forest_incident -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Datei:Halt Memorandum.jpg
Link: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei%3AHalt_Memorandum.jpgSource snippet
Datei:Halt Memorandum.jpgMemorandum by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt to the British Ministry of Defense regarding an incident in Ren...
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Source: ianridpath.com
Link: https://www.ianridpath.com/ufo/appendix.htmlSource snippet
Ian RidpathAppendix – Col Halt's memo to the MoDThis is the text of the single-page memo written by Lt Col Halt to the UK's Ministry of D...
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Source: hansard.[parliament]({{ ‘parliament/’ | relative_url }}). uk
Title: Hansard Rendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters Incident
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2001-01-30/debates/4bcdf841-b549-4781-a109-2e719ed75514/RendleshamForestRafBentwatersIncidentSource snippet
Rendlesham Forest/Raf Bentwaters Incident - HansardJan 30, 2001 — The Ministry of Defence's knowledge of an investigation by the U...
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Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk
Link: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/explore-by-time-period/postwar/ufo-reports/Source snippet
The National ArchivesUFO reportsCorrespondence on the Rendlesham Forest incident. Printed letter from Charles I. Halt, Deputy Base Comman...
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Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk
Title: defe 241948
Link: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/state-secrets/mysteries/defe-241948/Source snippet
DEFE 24/1948Memo from the Ministry of Defence concerning the UFO sighting at Rendlesham Forest. Find out more about this document in Disc...
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Source: theguardian.com
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/aug/28/humanities.highereducationSource snippet
The GuardianUS base's report of UFO crash 'had MoD in a panic'Aug 28, 2001 — The Halt report was sent to the MoD with a covering letter b...
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk
Title: Hansard Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt: Memorandum
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1997-10-14/debates/96394ce5-f0db-4448-af50-43a69fbf3c57/LieutenantColonelCharlesHaltMemorandumSource snippet
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt: Memorandum - Hansard14 Oct 1997 — The memorandum, which reported observations of unusual lights i...
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Source: cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Title: National [Archives]({{ ‘archives/’ | relative_url }}) UFO files
Link: https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/ufo-transcript-aug-09.pdfSource snippet
National ArchivesUFO files - August 2009 podcastA summary of the events were included in a famous memo to the MoD by Lt Col Charles Halt...
Published: August 2009
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Source: theguardian.com
Title: the rendlesham forest mystery its the perfect storm of a ufo case
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/30/the-rendlesham-forest-mystery-its-the-perfect-storm-of-a-ufo-caseSource snippet
The GuardianThe Rendlesham Forest mystery: 'It's the perfect storm of a UFO case'In 1980, two US airmen reported an extraordinary encount...
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Source: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
Title: 20150511 FOI2015 03810 Rendlesham Redacted Final Response
Link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f599240f0b6230268ef6d/20150511-FOI2015-03810-Rendlesham-Redacted-Final-Response.pdfSource snippet
(TNA), which are due to be transferred to TNA late 2015 or...Read more...
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk
Title: Raf Bentwaters And Woodbridg Nuclear Weapons Allegations
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1997-10-28/debates/829bc73d-7e53-4412-8ae6-0c1be8942f77/RafBentwatersAndWoodbridgNuclearWeaponsAllegationsSource snippet
Bentwaters And Woodbridg: Nuclear Weapons Allegati28 Oct 1997 — Nuclear weapons were stored at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge in viola...
Additional References
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Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHalt_Memorandum.jpgSource snippet
wikimedia.orgFile:Halt Memorandum.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsMemorandum by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt to the British Ministry of Defense...
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Source: dokumen.pub
Link: https://dokumen.pub/left-at-east-gate-a-first-hand-account-of-the-bentwaters-woodbridge-ufo-incident-the-cover-up-and-investigation-9781569247594-1569247595.htmlSource snippet
Left at East Gate: a first-hand account of the Bentwaters-...Left at East Gate: a first-hand account of the Bentwaters-Woodbridge UFO...
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Source: handsworthprimary.org.uk
Link: https://handsworthprimary.org.uk/AjaxRequestHandler.ashx?DOCUrl=App_Data%2Fhandsworthprimary_org_uk%2FClassPages%2F014%2F_Documents_2020-21%2FSlide.pdf&Function=GetSecuredDOCSource snippet
The sightings took place in woodland that separated the military bases of Bentwaters...Read more...
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Source: spreaker.com
Title: the halt memo one page that changed everything 71679095
Link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-halt-memo-one-page-that-changed-everything–71679095Source snippet
The Halt Memo: One Page That Changed EverythingApr 27, 2026 — The Halt Memo is one of the most significant documents in UFO history — a o...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/HISTORY/posts/retired-col-charles-halt-recounts-the-unexplained-lights-he-saw-in-rendlesham-fo/10156037522506184/Source snippet
ols written memos, recorded audio, Halt Memo (1981) – Released via...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: Deputy Base Commander, RAF Woodbridge U.S
Link: https://www.facebook.com/61578116940070/[photosSource snippet
Air Force...19 May 2026 — 🎙️ January 13, 1981: Halt filed official memorandum to UK Ministry of Defence describing events.... ✓ The Hal...
Published: January 13, 1981
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Source: iheart.com
Title: the halt memo one page that 331910094
Link: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-rendlesham-forest-1980-th-331910086/episode/the-halt-memo-one-page-that-331910094/Source snippet
The Halt Memo: One Page That Changed EverythingApr 27, 2026 — The Halt Memo is one of the most significant documents in UFO history — a o...
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Source: documents.theblackvault.com
Link: https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/UK/defe-24-2005-1.pdfSource snippet
Charles Halt in his memorandum dated 13 January 1981 compare to the normal levels of background radiation in Rendelsham Forest. el Charle...
Published: January 1981
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Source: documents.theblackvault.com
Link: https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/UK/defe-24-2094-1.pdfSource snippet
The Black Vault Documentsdefe-24-2094-1.pdfOfficer atKAF Bentwaters on 13 January 1981." (Insert for PQ 0355L - Background material). The...
Published: January 1981
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Source: reddit.com
Title: “Unexplained Lights,” a.k.a
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/publicdomain/comments/1ona0fm/unexplained_lights_aka_the_halt_memo_by_charles/Source snippet
"The Halt Memo," by Charles... - RedditNovember 3, 2025 — "Unexplained Lights," a.k.a. "The Halt Memo," by Charles Halt, describing the...
Published: November 3, 2025
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