RAF dumped paperwork 1970's – Saved !!!

We’ve dug out one of our boxes of RAF paperwork. This is only one of the boxes and it’s full to the brim of various forms, telegrams, War Casualty files, some of which are filled in and make very interesting reading. There’s some nice log books (which weren’t in the skip) although are stashed in the box for safe keeping.

Has anyone of you heard of the HUNDREDS of log books that were cleared from another Govt building and burned in the 70’s??. It’s certainly true and NOT just hearsay. I’ll scan some pages when I get time and post the pics. There are literally heaps of personal letters, as pictured all signed by Battle of Britain airmen, some describing personal experiences. If we were to sell this paperwork at 5 or 10 per week it would take years, ! That’s how much of it there is, and this is only one box!.

It was all obtained from a Govt building at the rear of a Surplus store in Walthamstow in the early 70’s by my Father. The paperwork was all in a skip and had been dumped by the demolition company who were demolishing the place.

On a separate issue my Father & Mike Ross had gone down to clear the Surplus Store of flying helmets, Mae West’s and hundreds of pairs of flying gauntlets. (all left hands), hundreds of yellow Taylor Suits, all unused but all useless as the zips were green corroded. Mike Ross of Military Marine was a legend in his day.

The Surplus Store was called ‘Mendel’s Govt Surplus’……… and would have been around 1973 – 74, anyone remember the place or old enough to remember Mrs Mendel’s, a little old Jewish lady who’ll be long gone by now. ????

There’s some really odd paperwork & files which we’ll filter out over the next couple of years.