Jeffrey Batters Home-Hay

Captain Jeffery Batters Home-Hay (2 February 1887 – 14 June 1953) was a Scottish-born Canadian who became a flying ace during World War I. He was a bomber pilot when he was credited with seven aerial victories. He was shot down and captured toward the end of World War I. After being repatriated, he became a pioneering Canadian bush pilot. By the end of his aviation career, he was the oldest pilot still flying in Canada.

Personal life Jeffrey Batters Home-Hay was born in Alloa, Scotland on 2 February 1887. He was schooled in Scotland until 1904; he then apprenticed as an engineer. He also apparently served in the military, probably in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment, as he was commissioned into it later. in 1908. He farmed at Wadena, Saskatchewan.

He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, reporting on 16 May 1916 to Reading, England for aviation training. He was posted to No. 14 (Reserve) Squadron RFC on 19 June 1916, then to No. 6 (Reserve) Squadron RFC. and seconded for aviation duty. When he was posted to No. 53 Squadron RFC in August 1916, it was still in England. He moved with it to France in early 1917 to fly artillery cooperation duty,

He was appointed a flight commander in the Royal Flying Corps on 7 June 1917, with an accompanying promotion to the rank of temporary captain. On 1 July 1917, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in his home regiment, the Argylls, but remained seconded to the RFC. He served with the RFC until returned to Home Establishment in England on 15 December 1917.

Unmentioned in this citation is an instance of gallantry that had been noted in the letter of recommendation for the award:

"While the encounter with enemy aeroplanes was in progress at 14,000 feet over the objective, Captain J. B. Home-Hay saw a machine of another squadron which had lost its formation and was at a low altitude firing Very lights for assistance as it was being attacked. Captain Home-Hay brought his formation down to 9,000 feet and picked this machine up in his formation, and escorted it to the lines."

After his return from captivity, he was assigned to schools, then to temporary command of No. 106 Squadron RAF, until he was shipped home to Canada from RAF Upavon on 10 June 1919.

On 7 April 1920, he asked to join the nascent Canadian Air Force. He became a commercial pilot throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s for a number of early Canadian airlines–Prairie Airways, Commercial Airways, United Air Service, National Airways, Brooks Airways–all with the commonality of being based in Manitoba or Saskatchewan.

He returned to military service with the Royal Canadian Air Force; from 4 January through 19 March 1932 he took a navigational course as a Flight Lieutenant. On 4 May 1933, he became a reserve officer at that rank.

On 23 January 1934, he began flying for Arrow Airways. At the beginning of World War II, on 15 September 1939, he applied to join the RCAF as a Norseman pilot, as he owned Norseman tail number CF-BFU. However, his actual World War II service is unknown.

Jeffrey Batters Home-Hay eventually became the oldest active pilot in Canada. He finally retired to his farm at Kelvington in 1952, where he died in Summer 1956.