UK historian Geoff Piper will present a talk at Tūhura Otago Museum next month on the incredible survival story of one of the South Island’s most resilient sons.
After working on farms and taking private flying lessons at the Marlborough Aero Club in 1936, Squadron Leader James Chilton Francis Hayter joined the RNZAF in November 1938 and earned his wings in April 1939.
His extraordinary ability to survive accidents began early.
In 1939 he was in the back of a Vickers Vildebeest that wiped its undercarriage off on a Kaikoura beach.
A month later he was in another Vildebeest that flew too low and plunged into Lake Ellesmere.
He nearly drowned but surfaced with nothing more than minor injuries and a soaking.
Transferring to the RAF, he survived being shot down over France in 1940 only to face the Battle of Britain months later.
Perhaps his most memorable escape occurred in October 1940 during the Battle of Britain.
After baling out of his burning Hurricane at 25,000 feet, Sqn Ldr Hayter drifted down into the manicured grounds of a country estate in Cranbrook, Kent.
Sqn Ldr Hayter had interrupted a cocktail party hosted by a member of Parliament, but unfazed, he had his wounds dressed by a guest and even joined the gathering.
Mr Piper said his son lives in New Zealand and he was inspired to research Sqn Ldr Hayter after he and his wife visited the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Marlborough, which features a diorama of Sqn Ldr Hayter landing at the cocktail party.
Where Sqn Ldr Hayter landed in Cranbrook after being shot down in the Battle of Britain was only about 500m from Mr Piper’s house.
"This made me want to find out a bit more about him, but I had not realised what an incredible story I would unfold."
"Working on the farm definitely toughened Jim up and I am certain that this was what saved him and the group he was leading later in life, enabling them to escape the German army and survive."
When considering Sqn Ldr Hayter’s remarkable toughness, Mr Piper thought he must have had a guardian angel flying as wingman.
"I think his toughness helped him survive the physical side of his bashes, but I guess a lot of the rest was just luck. In several of his incidents he was so close to being killed and many others may not have been so lucky."
As well as his talk in Dunedin, Mr Piper will present at other venues including Sqn Ldr Hayter’s former school and RSA club.
"Our son lives in the South Island, so this was a great opportunity to tell Jim’s amazing story there.
"A Kiwi friend who lives here in UK came to my talk and said that I must give it to Kiwis.
"I also hope that being near home there may be some people who knew or know of Jim and can tell me more."
A Kiwi Drops In — The Pilot with Nineteen Lives
Friday, February 13
6pm
Hutton Theatre
Tūhura Otago Museum
Free entry
