It is with sadness that London Chimes reports the passing of legendary broadcaster Raymond Baxter.
World War 2 Fighter Pilot with the RAF, commentator on motorsport events, but most known for his appearances heading up BBC Tommorrows World. Thursday night required viewing in the Friend family household was TW and ToTP, one educational... one not so.
As a child growing up through the space race, first, second, third... men on the moon, Concorde, Hovercraft and a whole host of technology dicoveries, including one that sticks in my mind the Debit Card, negating the need for us to carry cash in the future and ATM/Cashpoint machines all seemed so futuristic at the time but now are yesterdays world. It truly was a golden age of invention and technology all explained to me as a child by Raymond Baxter.
His BBC accent was one to which we should all aspire too.
I had the opportunity to watch the great man in person give a commentary at the Goodwood Festival of Speed some years ago on the air display. He came out of the commentary booth for the hillclimb event stood in the middle of a dressage paddock looked to the sky and gave a flawless and articualte commentary. This man not only knew his subject but had flown these planes in battle. I stood with a good friend of mine Nick Grout and watched Mr. Baxter with total respect.
Raymond Baxter was a broadcasting icon, his passing will be missed.
LONDON CHIMES by Malcolm Friend. An expat Brit from London who now lives near Philadelphia.
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