James Hayter

James Chilton Francis Hayter, (18 October 1917 – 3 October 2006) was a New Zealand flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was officially credited with at least five aerial victories. Born in Timaru, Hayter joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in November 1938 and on completing his flight training was sent to the United Kingdom. In 1939 he transferred to the RAF and served with No. 103 Squadron during the Battle of France, flying Fairey Battle light bombers. He volunteered for Fighter Command and flew Hawker Hurricane fighters with No. 605 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and then on the Channel Front in early 1941. Later in the year he served as an instructor before joining No. 601 Squadron. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in October, he was dispatched to the Middle East in March 1942. There he served with No. 33 Squadron before being given command of No. 274 Squadron, which he led until September. After a period on attachment to the Turkish Air Force as an instructor, Hayter returned to duty with the RAF when he took command of No. 74 Squadron in April 1943. It operated in the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, including during the failed Dodecanese campaign. The squadron returned to the United Kingdom in April 1944 and served with the Second Tactical Air Force during the campaign in Northwest Europe. Hayter, having transferred to the RNZAF, relinquished command at the end of the year. He was repatriated to New Zealand in September 1945 and released from the RNZAF. In civilian life he took up farming and later became a mariner. He died at Takaka in 2006, at the age of 88. Early life James Chilton Francis Hayter, the son of H. Hayter, a farmer, was born in Timaru, New Zealand, on 18 October 1917 and was educated at Nelson College. On completing his schooling, he commenced working on his father's farm, which was on D'Urville Island in the Marlborough Sounds. He subsequently worked as a roustabout on other farms and stations in the Marlborough region. In his spare time, he received tuition in flying at the Marlborough Aero Club and upon deciding to pursue a career in military aviation, joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) on a short-service commission in 1938. His initial training, which commenced in November, was at No. 1 Flying Training School at Wigram. He gained his wings on 19 April 1939.