I think I am right in saying that, during WW2, the logbook of any airman that was lost was retained by the MOD. After the war these logbooks were offered back to next of kin. At some stage in the 50’s or 60’s the miles of shelf space that the remaining logbooks took up in storage was deemed excessive and after again being offered back to next of kin the majority were dumped, with a selection being retained for the NA. Does anyone know if there is a list anywhere of the retained logbooks?
Flying Logbooks are, as has been referred to here, technically official documents. As such they are Crown property, not that of the individual. The fact that everyone retains them does not change that.
This is the reason that the logbooks of those killed in active service eventually found their way to the old MoD Repository at Hayes. It was during either the late 1970s or early 1980s that they did indeed offer them back to relatives and those that were not claimed were un-ceremonially bagged up and disposed of, despite the protestations of at least one notable aviation historian at the time who had privileged access to the facility. It is our firm belief that the logbooks of Lt Cdr Eugene Edmond DSO VC RN were amongst those disposed of as they have never surfaced since. A wanton, criminal act that quite honestly does not bear thinking about.
That some individuals leave instructions for their historically-valuable logbooks to go under the hammer in the almost certain knowledge that they will end up in a private collection probably never to see the light of day again (many museums being so cash-strapped that they can ill-afford to splash out huge sums on such items) is lamentable. Peter Twiss had always intended his logbooks to be left to FAAM Yeovilton to go with the many other items on display there (he also being a former FAA pilot himself). A photocopy was asked for at one stage but he was adamant that they would get the originals ‘in due course’. Sadly, they too went for auction and have simply disappeared.
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