Third Man Phenomenon
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 3:59 pm
Two questions:
1. Does anyone have any interest in exploring the so called "Third man phenomenon"?
2. Is this even the correct thread for this since it isn't exactly paranormal or occult but is indeed damn strange.
This phenomenon occurs to people in times of dire extreme such as lost at sea, mountain climbing accident, survival and escape situations, Arctic and Antarctic exploration, etc. It deals with the strange, but strangely accepted at the time, appearance of an extra person in the survival party. Not always a "Third" man but just an extra person.
For example a classic case of this occurred during WWI when a group of British POWs decided to escape from Turkish captivity. In this case three British soldiers of varying ranks engineered an escape from a loosely guarded Turkish POW camp in the desert. The Turks relying mainly on the desert itself as a hindrance to escape. The three soldiers converted small canvas musette bags into makeshift canteens further waterproofed by some means. Some suggest that boot polish or hair pomade was used, others some form of grease. The trio thus equipped set out into the desert at night in the general direction of allied lines. at the end of the second day they were tired and dehydrated from trying to conserve their water. On the third day there seemed to be an extra man in their party. No one made mention of communicating with the extra person but it was later learned that each of the three soldiers knew of the presence of the extra person. They trudged on for two more days and hours before they were rescued by a British led patrol the extra person disappeared. Even though they had never discussed the extra person among themselves all three admitted knowing of the person during official debriefing. British officials credited the extra man to the effects of dehydration induced delusions or delusions induced by drinking water that had been contaminated by canvas dye or waterproofing material. The case was not investigated further.
This phenomenon also sometimes called "The Third Man Factor" has been experienced by individuals such as Ernest Shackelton, explorer Peter Hillary, Charles Lindbergh, and is even mentioned in a poem by TS Elliot.
1. Does anyone have any interest in exploring the so called "Third man phenomenon"?
2. Is this even the correct thread for this since it isn't exactly paranormal or occult but is indeed damn strange.
This phenomenon occurs to people in times of dire extreme such as lost at sea, mountain climbing accident, survival and escape situations, Arctic and Antarctic exploration, etc. It deals with the strange, but strangely accepted at the time, appearance of an extra person in the survival party. Not always a "Third" man but just an extra person.
For example a classic case of this occurred during WWI when a group of British POWs decided to escape from Turkish captivity. In this case three British soldiers of varying ranks engineered an escape from a loosely guarded Turkish POW camp in the desert. The Turks relying mainly on the desert itself as a hindrance to escape. The three soldiers converted small canvas musette bags into makeshift canteens further waterproofed by some means. Some suggest that boot polish or hair pomade was used, others some form of grease. The trio thus equipped set out into the desert at night in the general direction of allied lines. at the end of the second day they were tired and dehydrated from trying to conserve their water. On the third day there seemed to be an extra man in their party. No one made mention of communicating with the extra person but it was later learned that each of the three soldiers knew of the presence of the extra person. They trudged on for two more days and hours before they were rescued by a British led patrol the extra person disappeared. Even though they had never discussed the extra person among themselves all three admitted knowing of the person during official debriefing. British officials credited the extra man to the effects of dehydration induced delusions or delusions induced by drinking water that had been contaminated by canvas dye or waterproofing material. The case was not investigated further.
This phenomenon also sometimes called "The Third Man Factor" has been experienced by individuals such as Ernest Shackelton, explorer Peter Hillary, Charles Lindbergh, and is even mentioned in a poem by TS Elliot.