Interview with David Edward Penrose Baston

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Description

Object description

British cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1960-1962; midshipman served aboard HMS Shoulton, 1st Minesweeping Sqdn in GB coastal waters, 1962; trained as pilot with No 1 Flying Training School, RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 1963; officer trained as helicopter pilot with 705 and 847 Naval Air Sqdns at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1963-1964; served with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB and aboard HMS Albion in Indian Ocean and Far East, 1964; served with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Singapore, Malaysia and during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 1964-1965; served with Search and Rescue Flight, HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1965-1967; student attended helicopter instructor course at Central Flying School Helicopter Wing, RAF at RAF Tern Hill, GB, 1967-1968; served as operational flying training officer with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1968-1969; served with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Bulwark in Mediterranean, Caribbean, Norway and Far East, 1969-1970; served with 705 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1970-1971; served as flight deck officer aboard HMS Bulwark in Caribbean, United States of America and Mediterranean, 1971-1973; served with 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1973-1974; served as senior pilot with 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1975-1976; served as Senior Naval Officer Bardufoss at Bardufoss Air Station, Norway, 1976-1980; commanded Search and Rescue Flight, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, GB, 1980-1981; commanded 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1981-1982; commanded 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard SS Atlantic Conveyor during Falklands War in South Atlantic, 4/1982-5/1982 including sinking off Falkland Islands, 25/5/1982; commanded 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1982-1983; commanded Commando Helicopter Operations and Support Cell at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1983-1986; served as Lieutenant Commander (Flying) aboard HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters, 1986-1987; served as Fleet Air Arm Drafting Commander at HMS Centurion, Gosport, GB, 1987-1988; served as regional recruitment officer with HMS Flying Fox in Bristol, GB, 1988-1991

Content description

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1942-1960: family; education. Aspects of enlistment with Royal Navy in GB, 1960: taking Civil Service examination; reasons for choice of Royal Navy as career; attending Admiralty Selection Board. Aspects of period as cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1960-1962: arrival at college; need to specialise under the Committee on Officer Structure and Training (COST) Scheme; daily routine; representing college at sailing; academic studies; need to learn officer like qualities; amusing stories relating to drill instructor; reasons for back terming; practical jokes played at college; story of holiday in Sweden after being released from college. Aspects of period as midshipman aboard HMS Shoulton, 1st Minesweeping Sqdn in GB coastal waters, 1962: reason for recall to service aboard HMS Shoulton. REEL 2 Continues: joining ship at Lochinvar; character of crew; incident of fouling all four propellers of minesweeper; description of experimental mine hunter; move to HMNB Portland; work as correspondence officer; story of accounting error; attitude towards service on board; prior recollection of period of cadet training aboard HMS Ulysses. Aspects of flying training at No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 1963: need to learn to fly fixed wing aircraft; suffering from air sickness; flying De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk; social life in York; pattern of flying training; taxiing and taking off in De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk; prior recollection of air course at HMS Goldcrest, Royal Naval Air Station, Brawdy whilst cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; soloing; navigation in De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of helicopter flying training with 705 Naval Air Sqdn at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, 1963: joining No 109 (Special Pilots) Course; opinion and character of Hillier HT Mk 2 Helicopter; technique to flying helicopter; hovering and auto rotating helicopter; night flights; pattern of training; running take offs; social life; starting engines of Westland Whirlwinds HAR.3 and HAR.7; character of Westland Whirlwind helicopter; character of Westland Whirlwind HAR.7; instrument flying; importance of trusting instruments. REEL 4 Continues: pattern of training; reaction to receiving wings; course failure rate; promotion to sub-lieutenant and pay; prior recollection of amusing story relating to Admiral Frank Hopkins aboard HMS Shoulton. Recollections of period as pilot with 847 Naval Air Sqdn, HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1963-1964: pattern of operational training including living in field and tactical flying; load carrying capacity of Westland Whirlwind HAR.7; story of problems lifting concrete mixer in Westland Whirlwind HAR.5; formation flying; ethos amongst Fleet Air Arm commando helicopter pilots; problem of over confidence; flying into confined spaces. REEL 5 Continues: character of Westland Wessex HAS.1; conversion to Westland Whirlwind HAS.1. Aspects of period as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1964: question of simplification being the key to a successful aircraft; conversion to Westland Wessex HU.5; formation of squadron, 6/1964; story of provision of scooters for squadron pilots during Farnborough Air Show, 1964; displaying at Farnborough Air Show; incident of squadron setting fire to Salisbury Plain during exercise; story of gate crashing Royal Air Force officers' mess party whilst attending Biggin Hill Air Show. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of operations as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Albion in Indian Ocean and Far East, 1964: sight of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 aircraft of Egyptian Air Force crashing whilst taking passage through Suez Canal, Egypt; operating in Radfan, Aden; ashore in Aden; flights made in Kenya; relieving 845 Naval Air Sqdn in Singapore, Malaysia, 1964. Recollections of operations as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Singapore, Malaysia and during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 1964-1965: squadron rota between Singapore and Borneo; working tropical routine; ashore in Singapore; operating from Nanga Ghat in Borneo; unsuitability of Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 to conditions in Borneo; navigation in jungle; problems with engines on Westland Wessex HU.5 in Borneo; story of squadron engineer who did not believe in engine problems; relations with local tribes in Borneo; problems with weather; amusing stories of Ibans understanding of language; practice scrabbles. REEL 7 Continues: story of medical evacuation of casualties from jungle; flying into Gurkha camps; location of landing sites; incident of emergency landing on Iban landing site; establishing base at Sibu; flying clothing worn; flying conditions; loading capacity and reliability of Westland Wessex HU.5; contrast in ethos of Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force helicopter pilots operating in Borneo; move to Labuan Island; amusing story of visiting Royal Air Force officer in his bungalow; air supply drops at Labuan Island; opinion of Gurkha troops; return to GB after tour expired, 1965; improvement in maps. Aspects of period as pilot with Search and Rescue Flight, HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1965-1967: problems with Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 in winter; speed of take offs; Lieutenant Commander Tony Thurston's attitude to quiet periods. REEL 8 Continues: use of diver; nature of search and rescue operations; incident of experiencing 'retreating blade stall'; difficulty of finding people in sea; opinion of Westland Whirlwind HAR.9; use of Westland WS-51 Dragonfly; character of Westland WS-51 Dragonfly; promotion to lieutenant; participation in a Children's Film Foundation film 'Escape from the Sea' (1968). Aspects of period as student on instructor course at Central Flying School Helicopter Wing, RAF at RAF Tern Hill, GB, 1967-1968: starting course 10/1967; reasons for accident to helicopter of Royal Flight; conversion onto Bell Sioux HT-2 Helicopter; relations with Royal Air Force personnel. REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of period as operational flying training officer with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1968-1969: nature of course and role; deck landing helicopters; degree of spatial awareness and multitasking needed to fly helicopters; flying helicopters in mountains; social activities in mess at RAF Valley including destruction of piano; training pilots in Snowdonia; attitude towards flying with unsafe pilots; story of problems encountered during flight to West Germany; amusing stories relating to exercise in West Germany. REEL 10 Continues: attitude towards role as flying training officer; amusing stories of visits to Castlemartin Ranges; armament of Westland Wessex HU.5. Aspects of period as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Bulwark in Mediterranean, Caribbean, Norway and Far East, 1969-1970: lack of operational activity; operating aircraft from commando carrier; operating from United States Navy aircraft carrier; operating with Royal Marines; prior recollection of squadron member's loss of Land Rover in Aden; amusing story of provision of camouflaged piano for commando carrier; second hand story of piano and HMS Tiger; visit to 'Expo 70' trade fair in Japan; leaving commando carrier, 8/1970. REEL 11 Continues: story of travelling around Japan during 'Expo 70'; amusing story of publicising the Fleet Air Arm during exercise off Malaysia; visit to RAAF Butterworth in Malaysia. Aspect of period as pilot with 705 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1970-1971: duties instructing senior officers in Westland Whirlwind HAR.9; attending premier of Children's Film Foundation film 'Escape from the Sea' (1968) at Bodmin. Aspects of period as Flight Deck Officer aboard HMS Bulwark in Caribbean, US and Mediterranean, 1971-1973: reaction to appointment; story of taking his Austin Mini Moke car on board; amusing stories of using Austin Mini Moke in United States of America; taking his ski boat on board; story of stealing flag from Royal Air Force launch in Malta. REEL 12 Continues: amusing stories of service aboard HMS Bulwark; duties; amusing story of disrupting Royal Marine parade on flight deck; acquisition of staff car for captain; obtaining clean store sheet on taking over duties; amusing story of petty officer arriving in Puerto Rico. Aspects of period as pilot with 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1973-1974: joining squadron; character of squadron; night goggle trials work. Aspects of period as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Bulwark in Far East, 1974-1975: appointment to squadron, 10/1974; promotion to lieutenant commander. Aspects of period as senior pilot with 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1975-1976: appointment to squadron; meeting with appointer. REEL 13 Continues: Recollections of period as Senior Naval Officer Bardufoss at Bardufoss Air Station, Norway, 1976-1980: situation on arrival; question of provision of duty free alcohol; accommodation and messing; replacement of cookers and improvement in living conditions; flying conditions in Northern Norway; techniques for landing helicopters in snow; low-level flying at night; dangers of whiteouts and cold weather; dealing with changeable weather conditions; reaction to incident of pilot who faced deteriorating weather conditions; opinion of Royal Air Force helicopter's cold running nacelle. REEL 14 Continues: decision to use helicopter standard temperate nacelles; social life; amusing stories relating to pianos at Bardufoss; dangers of flying in valleys with wires including fatal crash; rotation between Bardufoss and HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB; multi-national exercises; size of staff. Aspects of period commanding Search and Rescue Flight, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, GB, 1980-1981: appointment; low-level flying; social activities; dangers of windsurfing; area of responsibility; work during unpredictable storm; story of low-level flying through yachts during Cowes Week; working routine. REEL 15 Continues: amusing story of joke played on air traffic controller. Aspects of period commanding 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1981-1982: attitude towards appointment; decision to improve serviceability of squadron helicopters; attitude towards commanding squadron; amusing story of clash with Commander Air; role of senior pilot and squadron instructors. Recollections of operations commanding 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard SS Atlantic Conveyor during Falklands War in South Atlantic, 4/1982-5/1982 including sinking off Falkland Islands, 25/5/1982: formation of squadron from 707 Naval Air Sqdn; embarkation aboard SS Atlantic Conveyor; memories of Captain Ian North; operating helicopters off SS Atlantic Conveyor; arrival at Ascension Island; weather conditions; problems with wiper blades on Westland Wessex HAU.5; loss of one engine when hit by wave during supply run to HMS Exeter. REEL 16 Continues: sounding of air raid warning on 25/5/1982; Argentinean Exocet Missile hit on ship; damage to ship and casualties; spread of fire aboard; HMS Alacrity's firefighting efforts; question of launching Westland Wessex HU.5 from SS Atlantic Conveyor; preparations to abandon ship; description of abandoning ship; conditions in lifeboats; further memories of Captain Ian North and his loss at sea; problems climbing scrabbling net onto HMS Alacrity; treatment aboard HMS Alacrity; opinion of work of naval welfare operation at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton; transfer to MV British Tay. REEL 17 Continues: decision to return to Ascension Island; religious services; reunion with family at RAF Brize Norton in GB, 6/1982; reaction to watching campaign on television. Aspects of period commanding 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1982-1983: return to duties; opinion of Westland Wessex HU.5; return of Fleet Air Arm squadrons to station; incident of having to make forced landing after collision with British Sea Harrier flown by American exchange pilot. Aspects of period commanding Commando Helicopter Operations and Support Cell at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1983-1986: role and duties; story of acquiring Bandvagn BV 206 for use in exercises. Aspects of period as Lieutenant Commander (Flying) aboard HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters, 1986-1987: story of practical joke played on lecturer at HMS Dryad during course prior to appointment; opinion of British Aerospace Sea Harrier; promotion to commander. REEL 18 Continues: Aspects of period as Fleet Air Arm Drafting Commander at HMS Centurion, Gosport, GB, 1987-1988: role and duties; recreational activities; leaving role, 1988. Aspects of period as recruitment officer with HMS Flying Fox in Bristol, GB, 1988-1991: appointment to recruitment; recommendations; attitude towards service with Fleet Air Arm and award of Air Force Cross.

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Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content)
Creator: IWM (Production Company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Baston, David Edward Penrose (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2018-05-24
Dimensions: whole: Duration 540, Number Of Items 18
Catalogue number: 35100

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Interview with David Edward Penrose Baston

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