Sharkey Ward

Commander Nigel "Sharkey" Ward DSC AFC RN commanded NAS 801 Sea Harrier flight from HMS Invincible 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 No.899 HQ Training Squadron, 12 were scraped together for "HMS Hermes'" No.800 and 8 for "Invincible's" No.801 NAS. 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 Harriers eight more Sea of No.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]

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 NAS Yeovilton to fly with his son, after Kris had qualified to fight the Sea Harrier [2]

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 01 Dec 89 near Sardinia due control failure. Pilot - Lt. M. Auckland (801 NAS, HMS Ark Royal) ejected safely [3]

• 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 [4]

Confirmed kills

• Unknown - Pucara
• Unknown - C-130 Hercules: hit with a sidewinder missile, taken down with 30mm
• 21 May, 1982 - Mirage V: sidewinder in a ferocious dogfight during the Battle of Falkland Sound

External links

• Commander Ward describes shooting down an Argentine Mirage aircraft
• painting "Air Strike" by Robert Taylor
• Reviews of book "Sea Harrier Over the Falklands: A Maverick at War"