The 1955 article was subsequently reprinted in various newspapers and magazines over the following decades, and eventually served as the source for the Fortean Times article that Bondeson cited in his book.

Each step in this chain of reproduction is a potential point of distortion: the original events of 1915, as they were experienced, became the story as told in the community for forty years, became the account given to the Chronicle reporter by Dr.

Hammond, became the Chronicle article, became the magazine reprints, became the Fortean Times article, became Bondeson’s account, became the internet versions.

This is not a chain that produces reliable history.