# Eerie Soldier Ghost Photograph



## Fogey (Aug 27, 2005)

'This intriguing photo, taken in 1919, was first published in 1975 by Sir Victor Goddard, a retired R.A.F. officer. The photo is a group portrait of Goddard's squadron, which had served in World War I aboard _HMS Daedalus_. (Click the photo at left to see the entire photograph.) An extra ghostly face appears in the photo. In back of the airman positioned on the top row, fourth from the left, can clearly be seen the face of another man.

_It is said to be the face of Freddy Jackson, an air mechanic who had been accidentally killed by an airplane propeller two days earlier. His funeral had taken place on the day this photograph was snapped._

Members of the squadron easily recognized the face as Jackson's. It has been suggested that Jackson, unaware of his death, decided to show up for the group photo.


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## LabelKing (Sep 3, 2002)

Perhaps this was simply an error on the printer's part. That is, a slight double exposure?

*'The kind of acting I used to enjoy no longer exists because your prime consideration is the budget, running time, the cost - and whether they'll understand it in Milwaukee.'*

*Dirk Bogarde*


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## rojo (Apr 29, 2004)

Is there any corroboration, or does it all rest on Goddard's statements, 56 years after the fact? Goddard also once claimed to have flown an airplane four years into the future and then back again. He is also credited with coining the term UFOlogy.

Are there any official records of the existence of this Freddy Jackson, or of the date and circumstances of his death? Supposedly "Members of the squadron easily recognized the face as Jackson's": but is that according to Goddard, or is there another squad member to support him?

Also the enlargement doesn't appear to match the group portrait exactly. The area to the right of Jackson's face is lighter in the enlargement, but darker in the group photo, which suggests perhaps some darkroom trickery.


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## Fogey (Aug 27, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by rojo_
> 
> Is there any corroboration, or does it all rest on Goddard's statements, 56 years after the fact? Goddard also once claimed to have flown an airplane four years into the future and then back again. He is also credited with coining the term UFOlogy.
> 
> Are there any official records of the existence of this Freddy Jackson, or of the date and circumstances of his death? Supposedly "Members of the squadron easily recognized the face as Jackson's": but is that according to Goddard, or is there another squad member to support him?


Information on Sir Victor: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/GODDARD1.shtml


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## Mr. Di Liberti (Jan 24, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by LabelKing_
> 
> Perhaps this was simply an error on the printer's part. That is, a slight double exposure?


Not likely. A double exposure on the part of the printer, would require that he or she change negatives while printing the picuture.

As to time travel, 500 years ago everyone knew the earth was flat.

Anthony

Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage ~ Theodore Roosevelt


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## rojo (Apr 29, 2004)

I never questioned whether Goddard actually served in the Royal Air Force. I question whether anyone else really identified the partly obscured face as belonging to Freddy Jackson, whether it can be documented that Freddy Jackson existed, held the job attributed to him, and died as described -- or if we simply have to take Goddard's word for all of it.

Goddard is highly regarded by members of the tinfoil hat crowd, which makes me suspicious.


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## Fogey (Aug 27, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by rojo_
> 
> I never questioned whether Goddard actually served in the Royal Air Force. I question whether anyone else really identified the partly obscured face as belonging to Freddy Jackson, whether it can be documented that Freddy Jackson existed, held the job attributed to him, and died as described -- or if we simply have to take Goddard's word for all of it.
> 
> Goddard is highly regarded by members of the tinfoil hat crowd, which makes me suspicious.


It would be interesting to research Mr Jackson. Why do you say that Sir Victor is part of the 'tin-foil hat' crowd? That seems a rather pejorative way to describe an officer and a gentleman.


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## globetrotter (Dec 30, 2004)

last year the met had an exhibit of photos from the 19th and early 20th century of "ghosts" - apperently there were a lot of people who put together ghost photos back when the majority of the population didn't understand how photographs and development worked. 

it was an intersting exhibit. what is also intersting is to think of all the people who were fooled by the pictures, or who were very strong believers in the supernatural - arthur conan doyle for instance spent a lot of his time investigating the supernatural.


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## RJman (Nov 11, 2003)

The "ectoplasm discharge" photos in that exhibit were particularly odd.


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## globetrotter (Dec 30, 2004)

actually the term "ectoplasm discharge" is pretty odd....


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## Fogey (Aug 27, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by globetrotter_
> 
> actually the term "ectoplasm discharge" is pretty odd....


Isn't that evidence of a visit by an incubus? [}]


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## Gong Tao Jai (Jul 7, 2005)

Th only thing eerie here is the explanation. If you saw that photograph without the explanation, it would be completely unremarkable. 

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The burden of proof is on the claimant.


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## Yckmwia (Mar 29, 2005)

Seems that there were a lot of odd things being captured on film during The Great War.





"Patriotism is not for those who represent wealth and power. It is good enough for the people" Emma Goldman


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

'officer and Gentleman' is about as valuable a title as a Grammy given to some American Idol winner while real voices are nurtured in music conservatories worldwide. You REALLY want Jan and myself to start a thread on the assorted eccentric, criminal, incompetent, lucky,arrogant, commissioned by social status and just plain mental and moral bufoons that have carried that title as off kilter as a loose shoulder board since the first F troop of Ancient Greece tried to form a phalanx?


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## rojo (Apr 29, 2004)

_Interesting_ to research Mr. Jackson? It's an absolutely essential step to establishing any authenticity to Goddard's story.

I never said that Goddard was part of the tinfoil hat crowd, just that he is revered by it.


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## Fogey (Aug 27, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Kav_
> 
> 'officer and Gentleman' is about as valuable a title as a Grammy given to some American Idol winner while real voices are nurtured in music conservatories worldwide. You REALLY want Jan and myself to start a thread on the assorted eccentric, criminal, incompetent, lucky,arrogant, commissioned by social status and just plain mental and moral bufoons that have carried that title as off kilter as a loose shoulder board since the first F troop of Ancient Greece tried to form a phalanx?


 I confess to being a little ironical with that statement.


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