In the early days of the Sea King the prevailing SOP was a hover taxi at Culdrose to the runway, usually past the sloping ground alongside the bomb dump.
The first anyone knew of the Hiller 12E being rolled up into component parts down the slope by a passing Sea King was some time later when the very upset Midshipman student wandered across the field. Ground taxiing became the new requirement from then on.
Similarly the arrival of the first Aircrane on Helitack duties outside my hangar at Essendon neatly tipped a parked Cessna onto its wing; it was such a regular occurrence that the crew almost had a pro forma for dealing with the irate owner.
So I wouldn't be pointing too many fingers at the Merlin crew; it goes with the territory.