Branch of Service

Air Force

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

29/04/1940

Place of Enlistment

Melbourne, Victoria

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

29/04/1916

Place of Birth

Melbourne, Victoria

Address (at enlistment)

Braddon Flats, Braddon ACT

Occupation

Pilot

Next of Kin

Lesley Baster (wife), Merton Street, Box Hill, Victoria

Burial Place

El Hamar, Libya

Service Number

400035

Final Rank

Flying Officer

Final Unit

3 Squadron

Died 8 January 1942 aged 25 years, killed in action in a flying battle over Agedabia, Libya

AWM Roll of Honour Memorial Panel 98, Canberra ACT
Alamein Memorial, El Alamein War Cemetery, El Alamein, Egypt

Baster served with No.4 Squadron at Canberra during 1940/41. Before the war he had worked as a proof reader on The Argus newspaper in Melbourne. On 4 April 1941 he was flying west from Canberra on a training flight when he collided with another plane over Government House in Canberra. Baster parachuted to safety but the passenger in the other plane was killed. The accident was witnessed by the Governor General, the acting Prime Minister and the Chief of the Air Staff.

Later in 1941 Baster was posted to No.3 Squadron in North Africa flying a Kittyhawk. About 9am on 8 January 1942, No.3 Squadron departed on an offensive sweep over Agedabia in Libya. The squadron encountered an enemy force of about 40 planes and during the ensuing dogfight Baster's plane was shot down and he was killed. A party of New Zealand airmen recovered his body and buried him near El Hamar, Libya.

WWII Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au
ACT Electoral Rolls 1916 to 1967 http://canberraheritageportal.org/default.php
Stories from the ACT Memorial, 'One of Jackson's Few', ACT Heritage Library www.library.act.gov.au/find/history/stories_from_the_act_memorial
The Canberra Times - 5 April 1941, 16 April 1941, 2 May 1941
The Argus - 22 January 1942
AWM Roll of Honour Database
AWM Roll of Honour Circular
NAA RecordSearch - Series A9300 (RAAF Officers Personnel files, 1921-1948)