Nigel Ward

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Commander Nigel "Sharkey" Ward DSC AFC RN commanded RNAS 801 Sea Harrier flight from HMS Invincible (R05) during the Falklands War, of April to June 1982, and was senior Sea Harrier adviser to the Command on the tactics, direction and progress of the air war.

The first problem was getting the aircraft together. Including those transferred from N899 HQ Training Squadron, 12 were scraped together for HMS Hermes (R12) 800 Naval Air Squadron and 8 for HMS Invincible's 801 Naval Air Squadron. Thus 20 aircraft, some piloted by the RAF, had to defend the Fleet against 100 plus Argentine attackers. Only in mid-May were they reinforced by eight more Harriers of 809 NAS (plus six RAF GR.3's). Just six Navy Harriers were lost by accident or ground fire, and not one in air-to-air fighting [1]

After the task force left Portsmouth, an Admiral spoke to the wifes and families of the Harrier pilots after the task force had left. The Admiral told the families that they did not expect any of the pilots to return. Ward thought that it was a very stupid thing to say [2]

Commander Ward flew over sixty war missions, achieved three air-to-air kills, and took part in or witnessed a total of ten kills; he was also the leading night pilot, and was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry

After retirement from the Navy, Commander Ward wrote a book: "Sea Harrier Over the Falklands: A Maverick at War" He later returned to the RNAS Yeovilton to fly with his son, after Kris had qualified to fight the Sea Harrier [3]

[edit] Ward's aircraft

XZ451 Sea Harrier FRS1 - Built: 18 June 1979: First RN Sea Harrier. 3 confirmed kills over Falklands (Pucara & C-130 by LtCdr. N. 'Sharkey' Ward, Canberra by Lt. A. Curtis, both 801 NAS, HMS Invincible) Written-off 1 December 1989 near Sardinia due control failure. Pilot - Lt. M. Auckland (801 NAS, HMS Ark Royal (R07)) ejected safely [4]

ZA175 Sea Harrier FRS1/FA2 - Built: 7 December 1981: 1 confirmed kill over Falklands (Dagger by LtCdr. N. 'Sharkey' Ward, 801 NAS, HMS Invincible) Converted to FA2 1996 [5]

[edit] Confirmed damaged and kills

All referenced at Britains Small Wars.com:

1 May - FMA IA 58 Pucará: Commander "Sharkey" Ward and Lt. M. Watson in Sea Harriers of Number 801 Squadron on CAP engage three Turbo-Mentors. One enemy aircraft is damaged by cannon fire from Ward's aircraft.
21 May - FMA IA 58 Pucará: Two Pucaras intercepted by Number 801 Squadron CAP (Lt. N. Ward, Lt. S. Thomas and Lt. A. Craig). One Pucara was destroyed by cannon fire from Ward's Harrier and the pilot, Major Carlos Tomba, ejected safely and walked back to Goose Green. Ward later complemented Major Tomba on how he continued to fly his aircraft after Ward had filled it with so many holes.
21 May - Mirage V "Dagger": Number 801 CAP (Lt.Cmdr. N. Ward and Lt. S. Thomas) vectored towards three Mirage Dagger-As of FAA Grupo 6, north of Port Howard. In a turning fight, the three Daggers were destroyed with Thomas accounting for two and Ward for one, all with Sidewinder missiles. All Argetinean three pilots, Maj Piuma, Capt Donaldille and Lt Senn, were seen ejecting from their aircraft.
1 June - C-130 Hercules: Number 801 Squadron CAP (Lt. N. Ward and Lt. S. Thomas) destroyed an Argentine C-130 Hercules approximately 93 kilometers north of Pebble Island. Ward's first AIM-l9 Sidewinder missile fell short of the C-130, but the second started a fire between the port engines. Ward then fired 240 rounds of 30mm, which broke off the wing of the enemy aircraft, sending it crashing into the sea and killing the 7 crew members. This particular C-130 is believed to have been trying to repeat a bombing attempt made by another C-130 the previous day, when an Argentine C-130 attacked a British tanker well north of the total exclusion zone. The Argentineans had simply pushed bombs out of the back of the aircraft as they over flew the ship. One bomb struck the ship, but bounced off to no effect.