Within Halt Memo
Why the Released UFO File Starts Here
The memo became the opening document around which years of MoD correspondence, questions and public controversy accumulated.
On this page
- The memo as the anchor
- Public correspondence after the original report
- How release changed the case's public status
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Introduction
The reason the released Rendlesham Forest UFO file begins with the Charles Halt Memo is not simply that the memo is famous. It is because the document became the organising record around which the Ministry of Defence (MoD) file was built. When the file later entered the public domain as DEFE 24/1948, readers did not encounter a collection of rumours or newspaper stories first; they encountered an official memorandum written by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt, deputy base commander at RAF Woodbridge, reporting “Unexplained Lights” to British defence authorities. That placement gave the entire file a documentary centre of gravity and shaped how the case would be discussed for decades. [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…
The significance of the memo therefore extends beyond what it says about the events of December 1980. Its larger importance is administrative. Once the memo became the opening document in the released MoD record, later correspondence, parliamentary questions and public debate were all linked back to that original report. The file was no longer merely a UFO story; it became an official archive centred on a specific government-held document. [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…
The Memo as the Anchor of DEFE 24/1948
The National Archives identifies DEFE 24/1948 as the principal Rendlesham Forest file within the released UFO records. The archive description and accompanying material place Halt’s report at the beginning of that file, making it the starting point for anyone examining the official record. [The National Archives+2The National Archives]nationalarchives.gov.ukdefe 241948The National ArchivesDEFE 24/1948Memo from the Ministry of Defence concerning the UFO sighting at Rendlesham Forest. Find out more about…
This arrangement mattered because the memo was not a retrospective reconstruction created years later. It was a contemporaneous military communication dated 13 January 1981 and sent through official channels. As a result, the file opens with a document that already possessed institutional standing. Readers encounter an officer reporting observations, measurements and witness accounts, not later commentary about those events. [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 National Archives’ own summary of the released UFO files explicitly notes that Halt’s memorandum “opens this file”. That description is important because it reveals how archivists understood the structure of the record. The file was not catalogued around a newspaper controversy or a public campaign. It was catalogued around the receipt and retention of Halt’s 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…
In practical terms, the memo served three archival functions:
- It established the subject of the file: unexplained lights and reported UFO activity near RAF Woodbridge.
- It provided the core factual narrative to which later correspondents referred.
- It supplied the document that officials repeatedly cited when responding to questions about the incident. [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…
Why Later Correspondence Kept Returning to the Memo
One of the most revealing features of DEFE 24/1948 is that much of the file consists not of fresh investigations but of later correspondence. The National Archives notes that the file largely contains exchanges between the MoD and members of the public over many years after the original events. [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…
This transformed the Halt Memo from an incident report into a reference document. Individuals writing to the MoD about Rendlesham typically did so because the memo existed and had become known outside official circles. Questions about what was seen, whether an investigation occurred, and whether further records existed all traced back to that original memorandum. [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…
The structure of the file reflects this pattern. Rather than showing a continuous defence investigation stretching over years, it shows a continuing public effort to obtain clarification about a single foundational report. The memo effectively acted as the fixed point around which subsequent discussion revolved.
This distinction is easy to miss. Many readers assume that a large file implies a large investigation. In the Rendlesham case, the file expanded largely because people kept asking about the Halt Memo and the events it described. The growth of the archive therefore reflects sustained public interest as much as government activity. [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…
How the Released File Changed the Memo’s Status
Before widespread public release, the Halt Memo circulated mainly within specialist UFO circles, researchers and a limited number of officials. Its inclusion in a publicly accessible National Archives file changed its status substantially. [SHURA]shura.shu.ac.ukClarke National Archives Research(AMThis contains Halt's memo and briefings prepared for a…Read more…
Once DEFE 24/1948 became available through the UK UFO files programme, the memo could be examined in the context of the wider government record rather than as an isolated document. Readers could see both the original report and the later correspondence generated by it. This shifted discussion from claims about what the memo supposedly proved to questions about how officials handled it and what actions followed. [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…
The release also made clear that the file contained more than a dramatic narrative. It documented the administrative life of the case: inquiries, responses, requests for information and official assessments. In that setting, the memo became the entry point to an archive rather than merely a frequently quoted UFO text. [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 File Revealed About Official Handling
The public availability of the file allowed researchers to compare the original memorandum with later government statements. One recurring theme was the limited extent of subsequent official action.
Parliamentary answers issued by the MoD stated that the Halt document was the only USAF material held by the department concerning the incident. Officials also reported that they had no evidence of additional official USAF investigations in their possession and found no indication that further questions had been put to Halt after the memorandum was received. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest IncidentRendlesham Forest Incident - Hansard - UK Parliament16 Oct 2001 — The only USAF material held by the Ministry of Defence is that w…
Earlier parliamentary statements likewise emphasised that the report had been assessed for defence implications and judged not to warrant further action because it contained nothing considered significant to national defence. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest (IncidentSince the judgment was that it contained nothing…Read more…
The released file therefore performed two functions simultaneously. It preserved the most famous official UFO report associated with Rendlesham, but it also documented the relatively limited institutional response that followed. Both elements became visible because the memo sat at the head of the archive and provided the benchmark against which later records could be measured. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rendlesham Forest (IncidentSince the judgment was that it contained nothing…Read more…
Why the Released UFO File Starts Here
The Halt Memo anchors DEFE 24/1948 because it is the document that turned the Rendlesham incident into an identifiable government record. Without it, the file would largely consist of later inquiries about an event whose official documentary basis was unclear. With it, the archive begins with a named officer, a dated memorandum and a direct report to the MoD. [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…
That is why the released UFO file starts where it does. The memo was not merely one document among many. It became the reference point for years of correspondence, parliamentary scrutiny and public debate. When the National Archives opened the file to public view, the memo remained in the same position it had occupied administratively from the beginning: the document around which the rest of the record was organised. [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…
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Why the Released UFO File Starts Here. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Open Skies, Closed Minds
Provides background on MoD UFO investigations and public records that help contextualize DEFE 24/1948.
UFOs
Supports the page's focus on official documentation, military reports, and government handling of unexplained aerial phenomena.
Encounter in Rendlesham Forest
Focuses on the official documentation and witness accounts surrounding the Rendlesham case.
The UFO Files
Explains the UK's declassified UFO files and the governmental context in which the Halt Memo was archived and released.
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Endnotes
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Source: cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Title: National Archives 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: 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: images.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Link: https://images.nationalarchives.gov.uk/asset/76305/Source snippet
sightings, Rendlesham Forest2 Aug 2022 — Digital copy of DEFE 24/1948: UFO reports of sighting: Rendlesham Forest, December 1980; with re...
Published: December 1980
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Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk
Title: defe 241948
Link: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/state-secrets/mysteries/defe-241948/Source snippet
The National ArchivesDEFE 24/1948Memo from the Ministry of Defence concerning the UFO sighting at Rendlesham Forest. Find out more about...
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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
UFO reportsEarly letters regarding UFO sightings · Correspondence on the Rendlesham Forest incident · Documents on UFO policy and communi...
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Source: hansard.[parliament]({{ ‘parliament/’ | relative_url }}). uk
Title: Hansard Rendlesham Forest Incident
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2001-10-16/debates/c246478f-c76a-4129-826b-765803ab377a/RendleshamForestIncidentSource snippet
Rendlesham Forest Incident - Hansard - UK Parliament16 Oct 2001 — The only USAF material held by the Ministry of Defence is that w...
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Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk
Title: defe 241948 2
Link: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/state-secrets/mysteries/defe-241948-2/Source snippet
DEFE 24/1948DEFE 24/1948. Letter from Wigan Ariel Phenomenon Investigation Team to the Ministry of Defence asking about the Rendlesham Fo...
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Source: shura.shu.ac.uk
Title: Clarke National Archives Research(AM)
Link: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/25206/3/Clarke_National_Archives_Research%28AM%29.pdfSource snippet
This contains Halt's memo and briefings prepared for a...Read more...
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Source: cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Title: aug 2009 highlights guide
Link: https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/aug-2009-highlights-guide.pdfSource snippet
GuideThe file DEFE 24/1948 covers the Rendlesham incident, Britain‟s best-known UFO incident. It involves several sightings of lights in...
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk
Title: Hansard Rendlesham Forest (Incident)
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1996-07-24/debates/0ece5c04-6650-47b4-b228-cdb2336633e8/RendleshamForest%28Incident%29Source snippet
Since the judgment was that it contained nothing...Read more...
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Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk
Link: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/category/state-secrets/mysteries/Source snippet
ArchivesDEFE 24/1948. Memo from the Ministry of Defence concerning the UFO sighting at Rendlesham Forest. Also in Mysteries. The National...
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk
Title: uk Rendlesham Forest/Raf [Bentwaters]({{ ‘bentwaters/’ | relative_url }}) Incident
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2001-01-30/debates/4bcdf841-b549-4781-a109-2e719ed75514/RendleshamForestRafBentwatersIncidentSource snippet
The Ministry of Defence's...Read more...
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Source: api.parliament.uk
Title: mr peter hill norton
Link: https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-peter-hill-norton/2001Source snippet
Peter Hill-Norton: speeches in 2001 (Hansard)6 speeches — Rendlesham Forest/RAF Bentwaters Incident Written Answers... Rendlesham Forest...
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Source: publications.parliament.uk
Link: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo011016/debtext/11016-29.htmSource snippet
We met ambassadors from NATO and other EU member states.Read more...
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk
Title: uk Rendlesham Forest Incident
Link: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2001-01-25/debates/53c4b46c-1f17-44d3-b3a2-c6dabc0e5a5e/RendleshamForestIncidentSource snippet
Paper records are retained for a period of three years before being destroyed. Recordings of [radar]({{ 'radar/' | relative_url }})...Read more...
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Source: publications.parliament.uk
Link: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo011016/debtext/11016-26.htmSource snippet
of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Oct 2001 (pt 26)From the very beginning, the Prime Minister has said that the conflict would be a long...
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Source: realufo.org
Link: https://realufo.org/uk/rendlesham.htmlSource snippet
Forest, Dec 1980 — case file · UK MoDThe Rendlesham Forest incident, 26–28 December 1980 — RAF Woodbridge / RAF Bentwaters. Halt memo, wi...
Published: December 1980
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Title: in december 1980 us air force personnel saw strange lights in rendlesham forest
Link: https://www.facebook.com/mrballen/posts/in-december-1980-us-air-force-personnel-saw-strange-lights-in-rendlesham-forest-/908029534929214/Source snippet
Air Force personnel saw strange...Halt wrote a memo to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) detailing the events. The memo was later declassifi...
Published: december 1980
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Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHalt_Memorandum.jpgSource snippet
Wikimedia CommonsFile:Halt Memorandum.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsEnglish: Memorandum by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt to the British Ministry...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/publicdomain/comments/1ona0fm/unexplained_lights_aka_the_halt_memo_by_charles/Source snippet
g the sighting of a strange craft in the forest outside a US-occupied...
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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 MoD maintains that the Rendlesham Forest incident presents “no defence significance”.Read more...
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Source: drdavidclarke.co.uk
Title: Portillo’s State Secrets: Mysteries
Link: https://drdavidclarke.co.uk/2015/03/26/portillos-state-secrets-mysteries/Source snippet
Dr David ClarkeMar 26, 2015 — But the famous Rendlesham file (DEFE 24/1948/1) that was opened by The National Archives casts doubt on the...
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Source: documents.theblackvault.com
Link: https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/UK/defe-24-2094-1.pdfSource snippet
attach a list of those closed files the MoD will be releasing. You will note that the titles of a number of files have been partially red...
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Source: documents.theblackvault.com
Link: https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/UK/defe-24-2005-1.pdfSource snippet
Halt, outside RAF Woodbridge in Rendlesham Forest. Lt Col Halt raised a memo to the RAF Liaison Officer at. Bentwaters (copy attached at...
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Source: documents.theblackvault.com
Link: https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ukufo/defe-24-2448-1.pdfSource snippet
theblackvault.comdefe-24-2448-1.pdf*My request if for copies all documents which contents mention and/or deal with the December 1980 UFO...
Published: December 1980
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Source: enigmalabs.io
Link: https://enigmalabs.io/library/3077098c-118a-4311-b071-87e6c2de4a3cSource snippet
The Halt Memo and TapesOn January 13, 1981, Halt submitted a memo to the U.K.'s Ministry of Defense, which was titled “unexplained lights...
Published: January 13, 1981
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Rendlesham Forest incident
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendlesham_Forest_incidentSource snippet
Rendlesham Forest incidentAccording to Halt's memo, upon entering the forest to investigate, they witnessed a glowing object that was...
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