david baston, born 1942
Naval Helicopter Pilot
Commander David Baston spent his career as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy. This vivid and entertaining account of his career is extracted from an oral interview at the Imperial War Museum. He qualified as a commando helicopter pilot, serving in the jungle in Borneo and on the aircraft carriers Albion and Bulwark. He qualified as an instructor and commanded a squadron which sailed for the Falklands war on the Atlantic Conveyor. He survived its sinking by Argentinean Exocet missiles. He later survived a mid air collision in cloud with a jet aircraft.
Source: Oral interview of David Baston by the Imperial War Museum, reproduced with his permission. Transcript by Alex Reid, who served with David Baston in 848 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm.