“When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today”

Sir Jack Hayward has taken an active interest in the Assault Glider Trust and is a major sponsor of the restoration of both the C47 Dakota and the Waco CG-4 (Hadrian) assault glider. The glider will be displayed in the markings of one of the aircraft flown by Sir Jack during his World War II service in Burma. In September 2005, Sir Jack attended the Burma Commemoration Service and Open Weekend at RAF Shawbury to see “his” glider.

Sir Jack Hayward OBE was born in Wolverhampton, England, in 1923 and attended Stowe school in Buckingham, England.

In 1941, at the age of 18, he joined the Royal Air Force. He soon obtained his wings and he trained in Canada and America before being posted to India where he volunteered as a glider pilot for the war against the Japanese. He flew missions over India and Burma and was demobilized as a Flight Lieutenant in 1946.

Sir Jack first arrived in Grand Bahama in 1956, when he became a Vice President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority and helped promote the development of Freeport. His father, Sir Charles Hayward, began the Hayward involvement with the Bahamas in the 1950s. This was taken over by Sir Jack, who developed Freeport in the Bahamas, a very successful development that he continues to play a role in.

Among his benevolent projects he bought Lundy Island, off the coast of Devon, for the National Trust in 1969, and funded the rescue of the first iron ship, Brunel's S.S. Great Britain, from the Falkland Islands so that it could be restored as a National Treasure. It is now berthed in Bristol where he was given the freedom of the city in May, 2003. Also, Sir Jack donated funds for a hospital in Port Stanley following the Falklands War, and made a hefty donation to the building of the first MCC indoor cricket school. For his achievements, he was awarded the OBE in 1968, and was knighted in 1986.

In May, 1990, Sir Jack bought Wolverhampton Wanderers football club, the club he had worshipped since his childhood days. In his first 10 years of ownership he helped convert Molineux to one of the finest stadiums in the country.

The dream of Premier League football was finally realised for the club's owner when Wolves won the play-off final beating Sheffield United 3-0. An emotional Sir Jack joined the players on the pitch to celebrate in front of over 30,000 euphoric Wolves fans at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Sir Jack retired from the board and become life president at the end of 2003, handing the chairmanship of Wolves over to his elder son, Rick.

Above: “High Tow” by Frank Wootton. Hadrian (Waco) gliders of No 671 Sqn RAF in action, Assam 1944/45
 © Mrs. V Wootton