Was given a couple of dusty old books that a civilian pilot was going to throw out and who thought he'd check with me (as a history nerd) if I wanted them first - turned out to be a pair of logbooks to a KIA Blenheim/Beaufighter pilot and DFC winner who served on ops pretty much constantly from 1941-3, Malta Pedestal, Bay of Biscay, Norway, Atlantic etc, heaps of missions, various Luftwaffe aircraft shot down etc etc. I couldn't believe that he was going to bin them and many years later I was contacted by the pilots very elderly son who was only 4 when his dad was killed, bit of a wrench but I gave them back to the rightful owner (after checking his credentials).
I suspect the Wg Cdr knew the nameplate was worth something, but also knew it would probably end up in a skip/box lost for ever if he didn't save it. Bit cheeky but there you go, at least he saved it and it is back in the public domain again.