Hay Street (East and West) in Kepnock was named in honour of World War II pilot Flight Sergeant Roy Neville Hay in November 1951.
Both streets now bear the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) badge in recognition of Flight Sergeant Hay’s service, as part of Bundaberg Regional Council’s Streets of Remembrance program.
Early life
Roy Neville Hay was born in Bundaberg on 27 July 1923 to Thomas and Florrie Hay.
He attended Bundaberg Intermediate State School and Bundaberg State High School, and enjoyed tennis, cricket, swimming and football.
As a teen, he took the University of Queensland Scholarship and Public Junior Exam which he passed in English, Physics, Mathematics, French, History, Geography, Algebra and Geometry, achieving a first in Mathematics.
Roy was an Australian Instructional Corps (AIC) cadet and also registered as a National Service Trainee.
The family lived in Castlereagh Street, Bundaberg, and Roy worked part-time as a bookkeeping clerk for Public Accountant W. Schoch.
World War II service
Roy was a single man aged 19 years when he enlisted for the RAAF on 6 November 1942.
He undertook training in Narromine, Deniliquin and Mildura, and was assigned to 75 Squadron, starting as air crew.
Roy was made Airman Pilot on 26 August 1943 with rank of Flight Sergeant, and over the course of his RAAF service he qualified to fly Tiger Moth, Wackett, Wirraway and Kittyhawk aircraft.
He was injured during air operations in Markham, New Guinea in March 1944 but returned to service soon after.
Along with Warrant Officer Gregory Carlisle Mogg, Roy went missing on a non-operational flight off Biak Island, New Guinea on 19 July 1944.
Both men were reported presumed dead at sea following a flying battle.
Roy was 20 years old at the date of his death, just days before his 21st birthday.
Flight Sergeant Hay was awarded the Flying Badge on 25 August 1943, and received the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal.
As he died at sea, Roy has no known grave and is remembered on the Lai Memorial in Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
Roy is also listed on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour and Bundaberg Civic Centre Memorial Portico.
Information about Flight Sergeant Hay’s life and service is from the National Archives of Australia, Australian War Memorial, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Virtual War Memorial.
Service Number: 434252
Streets of Remembrance
Council’s Streets of Remembrance program recognises the service of veterans with a connection to the Bundaberg Region by adding the badge of the military force in which they served to the street sign of streets named in their honour.
More information about Bundaberg Regional Council’s Streets of Remembrance program and how to nominate a street or service person is available here.
