Reginald Hayter was born in Hunstanton, Norfolk, on 25 February 1901, the son of Walter Louis Bazaine Hayter and Harriet Evelyn Hayter. 

After joining the Royal Navy, Reginald was appointed to the Light Cruiser HMS HAWKINS in the rank of Midshipman on 11 October 1920.  Promoted to Lieutenant in February 1923, he was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for Submarine Training on 16 March 1924 and to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS TITANIA (4th Submarine Flotilla) at Hong Kong ‘for Submarines’ on 15 October the same year. He subsequently served in L19 as Navigator from August 1925 and, later, on 18 November, he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS AMBROSE (4th Submarine Flotilla) also at Hong Kong for HMS L15 as First Lieutenant. 

After returning to UK, he joined the Cruiser HMS CENTAUR on 29 March 1927 in the Atlantic Fleet.  He returned to Submarines in March 1928, joining the Submarine Depot Ship HMS LUCIA (2nd Submarine Flotilla) before being appointed to HMS L53 as First Lieutenant on 8 August 1928.  On 2 Sep 29 Lieutenant Reginald Hayter was appointed to HMS ALECTO (Training Half Flotilla) at Portsmouth for the Commanding Officer’s Qualifying Course (COQC).  Following successful completion of the course, he was appointed to H24 in Command on 30 December 1929.

A year later, on 29 December 1930, he was appointed to the Battleship HMS RODNEY for his ‘Big Ship’ time.  Reginald Hayter was promoted Lieutenant Commander on 15 February 1931.  In June 1932 he was listed without an appointment and in December 1932 he was ‘undergoing a Short Course of Instruction’.  A Command appointment followed on 22 October 1933 when he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MACKAY (2nd Submarine Flotilla, Home Fleet) ‘for Submarine L19 in Command’.  In January 1935 he was serving in the Submarine Depot Ship HMS ALECTO (5th Submarine Flotilla) to which he had been appointed on 31 December 1934 ‘for Submarines and for Instructional Duties’.  He returned to the Far East with an appointment to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MEDWAY (4th Submarine Flotilla, China Station) at Hong Kong ‘for HMS PROTEUS in Command’ on 19 April 1935, and then ‘for HMS OLYMPUS in Command’ to date 4 October 1935.

On returning home he was appointed to HMS PRESIDENT ‘for the Naval Equipment Department’ on 4 April 1938.  On 1 June Reginald Hayter was on board the Cammell-Laird-built ‘T’ Class Submarine HMS THETIS as an Admiralty Observer for her Sea Trials.  Following a series of very unfortunate mishaps, the Submarine sank in Liverpool Bay: only four people on board managed to escape.

Reginald Hayter, who died in the accident, was married to Elizabeth Dorothy Hayter (nee Fowler) of Tay Lodge, Kilmacthomas, County Waterford, Ireland and was the father of Eve Ann and George Anthony who were aged nine and eleven months at the time of his death.  He is buried in the THETIS Mass Grave at Holyhead.