Captain James Russell Hastings b. 25 Jul 1908 Rouleau, Saskatchewan d. 2 Sep 1943 Mediterranean near Corsica

1908 - 1943 (35 years)

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Name	James Russell Hastings
Title	Captain
Birth	25 Jul 1908	Rouleau, Saskatchewan
Gender	Male
Death	2 Sep 1943	Mediterranean near Corsica - presumed dead
Person ID	I05989	All
Last Modified	1 Mar 2008

Father	Hugh Alexander Hastings, b. 24 Aug 1881, Elliots Falls, Laxton Township, Victoria County, Ontario d. 13 Jan 1968, Regina, Saskatchewan (Age 86 years)
Mother	Elenora Reichert, b. 24 Feb 1878, Bridgeport, Ontario d. 1931 (Age 52 years)
Marriage	26 Mar 1906	Whitewood, Saskatchewan
Notes	Hugh Alexander Hastings was educated at Rose Valley S.D. 191 on his father’s homestead near Indian Head, Saskatchewan. He would have worked on the family farm and on April 2, 1902 the family made the move to the Rouleau district. He was granted homestead entry SE20-15-21-W2 with a patent issued June 27, 1905. The quarter was sold November 14, 1905 to Ernest Kissack in consideration of $2,880. In 1903, with the same Ernest Kissack as partner he established the Rouleau Supply Company Ltd. dealing in “implements, hardware, crockery, stoves, furnaces, groceries, coal with tinsmithing a specialty”. In 1908 the business was sold to his brother Clarence Beverly Hastings who continued to operate it on a smaller scale as “C.B. Hastings Implements”. In 1909 he re-entered a partnership with his brother Clarence and together they operated the implement and blacksmith business until 1915 when it went into bankruptcy. Thereafter Hugh continued alone n the implement business and farming operations until 1931 when he moved to Rapid View near Meadow Lake in North Saskatchewan. Hugh Hastings took an active part in the community life of Rouleau serving many terms on the village council. On June 20, 1906 he was one of the 25 charter members of Prince Rupert Lodge 24, IOOF and would serve as recording secretary in 1907, vice grand in 1910 and noble grand in 1911. Later as a member of Regina Lodge 6 he was treasurer of the grand encampment of Saskatchewan. He played an important role in the Rouleau Methodist Church. He served as secretary-treasurer of the Rouleau Agricultural Society “and was a force in its councils”. It was his idea that Rouleau should celebrate July 1st: “because that is the day the hired man has off and everybody goes somewhere”. He served for a time as president of the Rouleau Cemetery Company. By 1930 the residents of Rouleau, as in all western Canada, were suffering through the world economic depression combined with the added problem of drought and resultant consecutive crop failures. Rouleau was in the heart of the dried-out dust bowl of south Saskatchewan. At this time Hugh Hastings participated in a government sponsored program of resettlement of farmers from south Saskatchewan to the northern part of the province. On July 12, 1930 a homestead entry was granted to NW5-60-19-W3. Patent issued February 25, 1938 as Grant No. 13612. In the subsequent years he worked for the provincial government on resettlement programs in the region in addition to his farming operations. In October 1936 they had a family reunion at Hugh’s homestead near Rapid View. Minnie came from Toronto, Clary and Sadie from Regina, Sam from Meadow Lake. Jim was the only one missing. They spent four happy days together. It would be the last time the family would meet. He sold the land in 1946 and returned to Regina where he lived out his retirement, taking casual employment with the Wascana Hotel. Hugh Alexander Hastings is interred in Riverside Memorial Cemetery, Regina while Elenora Reichert Hastings is interred in Rouleau Cemetery.
Family ID	F1398	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Event Map

Birth - 25 Jul 1908 - Rouleau, Saskatchewan

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Notes

At the time of the 1911 census, the family of Hugh and Elenora Hastings were residing on Ansley Street in Rouleau, Regina, Saskatchewan.

From the research of Earl Hastings

James Russell Hastings was educated at Albert Public School, Regina, Saskatchewan and Rouleau High School. He was one of the first students of R.J. Groome in attaining a private flying license at Regina. He homesteaded in the Meadow Lake District with his father from 190 to 1933 when he moved to Edmonton, Alberta. In 1936 he went to South Africa where he worked until enlisting in the Royal South African Air Force at Jonnanesburg on July 22, 1940. He was promoted to temporary Air Sergeant December 7, 1940 and qualified for his wings on 28 Jul 1941. He was commissioned as Pilot Officer in September 1941 and transferred to the Royal Air Force being sent to England where he was on Channel Patrol Duty over the North Sea until September 1942 when he was sent to Malta.

Flight Lieutenant James Russell Hastings was reported missing and presumed dead at sea off the coast of Corsica following a flying battle on September 2, 1943. His death is commemorated at Malta by name on Panel 12, Column 1 of the Malta Memorial. It reads: “Over these and neighbouring lands and seas the airmen whose names are recorded here fell in raid or sortie and have no known grave”. Medals: 1939/45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939/45; Africa Service Medal.

See also - http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/virtualmem/Detail&casualty=1082200