Hugh Hay

{{short description|British WWI flying ace (1889 - 1965)}} {{for|the Scottish professional footballer|Hughie Hay}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}  {{Infobox military person | name = Hugh Allport Hay | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1889|11|24}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1965|10|13|1889|11|24}}<ref name="NPC">National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1966</ref> | birth_place = Newchurch, Rossendale, Lancashire, England | death_place = Middleton Hall, Middleton St. George, Darlington, County Durham, England<ref name="NPC"/> | burial_label = | burial_place = | burial_coordinates =  | nickname = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = British Army Royal Air Force | service_years = 1914–1919 1939–1945 | rank = Major | unit = West Yorkshire Regiment No. 11 Squadron RAF Durham Light Infantry Royal Artillery | commands = | battles = {{tree list}} * World War I ** Western Front * World War II {{tree list/end}} | awards = Military Cross Efficiency Decoration | relations = Roger Hay (brother) | other_work = }} Major '''Hugh Allport Hay''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MC|ED}} (24 November 1889 – 13 October 1965) was a British World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.<ref name="theaerodrome">{{cite web |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/hay1.php |title=Hugh Allport Hay |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 |accessdate=20 March 2015 }}</ref>

==Biography== ===Family background and education=== He was the eldest of three sons born to The Reverend Reynell Wreford Hay and his wife Margaret Alice (née Bolton). His grandfather William Hay was a merchant and ship owner from Bishopwearmouth,<ref name="StNicholasMarriages">{{cite web |url= https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Rossendale/Newchurch/stnicholas/marriages_1884-1914.html |title=Marriages at St Nicholas in the Parish of Newchurch in Rossendale, Lancashire (1884-1914) |work=Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerk Project |year=2012 |accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref> while his uncle, William Delisle Hay, was a novelist and mycologist.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.victorianresearch.org/atcl/show_author.php?aid=2761 |title=William Delisle Hay |first=Troy J. |last=Bassett |work=At the Circulating Library: A Database of Victorian Fiction 1837-1901 |year=2015 |accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref>

At the time of his birth his father was teaching at Newchurch Grammar School, Lancashire,<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Rossendale/Newchurch/stnicholas/baptisms_1890-1904.html |title=Baptisms at St Nicholas in the Parish of Newchurch in Rossendale |work=Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerk Project |year=2015 |accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref> but in 1892 was appointed the rector of Garsdon and Lea in Wiltshire.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/utils/getfile/collection/p16445coll4/id/339948/filename/351293.pdfpage/page/129 |title=Kelly's Directory of Wiltshire |page=110 |year=1907 |edition=12th |accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref> He was educated at Armstrong College, Newcastle (then part of Durham University, now part of Newcastle University).<ref name="theaerodrome"/>

===World War I=== After serving as a cadet in the Officers' Training Corps, on 27 January 1915, almost six months after the British entry into World War I, Hay was commissioned as a second lieutenant (on probation) in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, alongside his brothers Guy Baldwin Hay (1890–1951<ref>{{London Gazette |date=1 April 1952 |issue=39505 |page=1871 |nolink=yes}}</ref>) and Roger Bolton Hay (1895–1917).<ref>{{London Gazette |date=26 January 1915 |issue=29050 |pages=806–807 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

On 2 February 1916 he was appointed a temporary supernumerary lieutenant,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=14 March 1916 |supp=y |issue=29511 |page=2920 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and on 24 June, while attached to the 1st Battalion of the West Yorkshires, was awarded the Military Cross (MC).<ref>{{London Gazette |date=23 June 1916 |supp=y |issue=29637 |pages=6305–6306 |nolink=yes}}</ref> His citation read: :2nd Lieutenant Hugh Allport Hay, Special Reserve, West Yorkshire Regiment (attd. 1st Bn.). ::For gallantry and ability. He made a very close reconnaissance of enemy trenches prior to attack, and in the attack itself led his platoon with great ability. He has served for many months in the front line, and has proved himself a capable leader.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=25 July 1916 |supp=y |issue=29684 |page=7437 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

He relinquished his temporary rank on 4 July,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=24 November 1916 |supp=y |issue=29839 |page=11578 |nolink=yes}}</ref> but was promoted to full lieutenant on 26 September.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=31 October 1916 |supp=y |issue=29811 |page=10623 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

In mid-1917 Hay was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, receiving Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 5481 and being appointed a flying officer on 29 November.<ref name="theaerodrome"/><ref>{{London Gazette |date=21 December 1917 |supp=y |issue=30443 |page=13428 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

Hay was posted to No. 11 Squadron RFC in early 1918 to fly the Bristol F.2 Fighter.<ref name="ABT">Shores ''et.al.'' (1990), pp. 188–189.</ref> On 1 April, the Army's Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) were merged to form the Royal Air Force, and a week later, on the 7th, Hay gained his first victory when he and observer/gunner Sergeant P. A. Sherlock drove down an Albatros C 'out of control' over Grévillers. On 4 May he and Sherlock shot a Pfalz D.III down in flames over Marquion, and on 11 August, with 2nd Lieutenant E. J. Norris, he did the same to an Albatros D.V south of Péronne.<ref name="theaerodrome"/> On 26 August Hay was appointed a temporary captain while serving as a flight commander,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=3 September 1918 |issue=30881 |page=10395 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and on 6 September, Hay and Lieutenant A. H. Craig destroyed and drove down two Fokker D.VIIs west of Cambrai.<ref name="theaerodrome"/>

Hay left the RAF after the war, being transferred to the unemployed list on 2 June 1919.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=24 June 1919 |issue=31416 |pages=7944–7945 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

===World War II=== Hay returned to military service just prior to World War II, serving in an anti-aircraft unit of the Territorial Army. He was commissioned as a captain, and appointed administration officer of the 1/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, on 23 March 1939.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=16 May 1939 |issue=34626 |page=3299 |nolink=yes}}</ref> Hay relinquished his post of administration officer on 2 September,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=2 July 1940 |supp=y |issue=34888 |page=4090 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and on 1 August 1940 his unit was transferred and renamed, becoming the 54th Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=27 August 1940 |supp=y |issue=34934 |page=5281 |nolink=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://heritage.stockton.gov.uk/organisations/5th-battalion-durham-light-infantry/ |title=5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry|work=Stockton Heritage |year=2015 |accessdate=20 March 2015}}</ref> He served throughout the war, finally relinquishing his commission, having exceeded the age limit, on 22 August 1945, and was granted the honorary rank of major.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=4 September 1945 |supp=y |issue=37254 |page=4475 |nolink=yes}}</ref> On 13 April 1951 he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=10 April 1951 |supp=y |issue=39200 |page=2062 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

==References== ;Citations {{reflist}} ;Bibliography * {{cite book |first1=Christopher F. |last1=Shores |first2=Norman |last2=Franks |authorlink2=Norman Franks |first3=Russell F. |last3=Guest |title=Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920 |location=London, UK |publisher=Grub Street |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-948817-19-9 |name-list-style=amp}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hay, Hugh}} Category:1889 births Category:1965 deaths Category:People from Newchurch, Lancashire Category:West Yorkshire Regiment officers Category:Royal Flying Corps officers Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Category:British World War I flying aces Category:Recipients of the Military Cross Category:Durham Light Infantry officers Category:Royal Artillery officers Category:British Army personnel of World War II Category:Alumni of Armstrong College, Durham Category:Military personnel from Lancashire Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:British Militia officers

Hugh Hay

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