S/Ldr J. C. F. Hayter was born on 18th October, 1917, in Timaru, New Zealand.
He attended Nelson College before going to work on a farm. In 1936 he took private flying lessons at the Marlborough Aero Club before joining the RNZAF on a short service commission in November 1938.
James was awarded his wings on 19th April, 1939. On 8th May, he was flying as observer in a Vildebeeste, which, flying too low, struck a beach at North Kaikoura, wiping off the undercarriage and damaging the propeller. The pilot made a crash-landing at Wigram without any injuries. A month later James was again flying as observer in a Vildebeeste over Lake Ellesmere. On a swan-strafing run, the aircraft struck the water and went in and came close to drowning, but all escaped with minor injuries.

James sailed for the UK on 14th July, 1939, in the SS Tamaroa from Auckland. After arrival, he was posted to 98 Squadron at Hucknall, which was equipped with Fairey Battles. On 12th November, flying low, he hit an air raid shelter and wrote off the aircraft but escaped with minor injuries. Soon afterwards he was posted to 103 Squadron at Plivot in France.
On 12th May, 1940, he was flying one of three Battles attacking roads and bridges near Sedan. Although attacked by Bf 110s, they bombed a pontoon bridge from a height of 20 feet and succeeded in holding up German tanks for some hours.
On 16th June, he was shot down by a Bf 109 as he was about to land, but was unhurt. Later that day the squadron was withdrawn to Honington, Suffolk.

James volunteered for Fighter Command and joined 615 Squadron at Prestwick on 4th September but moved to 605 Squadron at Croydon on the 18th.
On 15th October, he damaged a Bf 109 and on the 26th, after damaging a Bf 109, he was himself shot down by another. He baled out at 25,000 feet and landed in the grounds of Great Swifts, home of Major Victor Cazalet, where a cocktail party was in progress and to which he was invited.
On 1st December, he destroyed a Bf 109 and was made a Flight Commander on 20 February 1941.

He was posted away on 1st May to 52 OTU, Debden, as an instructor.
After crashing twice with the same pupil, on 17th and 19th June, he returned to operations in early July 1941, when he joined 611 Squadron at Hornchurch.
On 10th July, he destroyed a Bf 109 but crash-landed near Southend on the return from the sweep after his aircraft was badly damaged by flak.
He destroyed Bf 109s on 14th July, 29th August and damaged another on 17th September.
He was awarded the DFC (17/10/41).
On 1st March, 1942, James was given command of 274 Squadron at LG 92. He probably destroyed a Mc 202 on 10th July and destroyed a Bf 109 on the 18th. At the end of September he was posted to Turkey to instruct Turkish pilots on Hurricanes.

He went to Iran and took command of 74 Squadron at Mehrabad on 1st April, 1943.
In May the squadron moved to Egypt, where it began convoy patrols and taking part in Wing sweeps over Crete.
In late September he took nine squadron Spitfires to Antimachi airfield on Kos Island, in the Dodacanese. On the 29th, Ju 88s put the airfield out of action and on 3rd October, the Germans invaded Kos and over-ran the airfield forcing Hayter to evade capture. After avoiding enemy patrols for several days, he met some men of the Special Boat Service and were taken off the island by boat on 8th October and put ashore on the Turkish coast. They reached Cyprus in a fishing boat on the 14th and Hayter flew back to Edku ten days later.
The squadron came together again on Christmas Day 1943 at Edku and began convoy patrols in January 1944.
James received a Mention in Despatches (14/1/44).
74 Squadron sailed from Port Said on 7th April for the UK, and went to North Weald. James received a second Mention in Despatches (8/6/44).
He took the squadron to France on 19th August and led 74 until 30th December, when he was posted to Milfield for a course at the Fighter Leaders' School.
He was awarded a Bar to the DFC (26/1/45).

In mid-August 1945, James sailed for New Zealand, and resumed farming.
James Hayter passed away at Takaka on 3rd October, 2006.