Commander ‘Sharkey’ Ward, fearless ‘top gun’ pilot decorated in the Falklands War – obituary
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Commander “Sharkey” Ward, who has died aged 80, was an exceptional “top gun” pilot and outstanding leader of men, who turned the Sea Harrier into a war-winning machine.
Forty-two years ago today, n May 21 1982, the morning of the British landings in San Carlos Water to evict the Argentines from the Falkland Islands, Ward was leading a patrol of three Sea Harriers of 801 Naval Air Squadron (800 NAS), flying from the carrier Invincible, when two Pucara ground attack aircraft were detected at low level. Ward immediately led his flight down to attack, opening fire with his cannon and setting one aircraft on fire. In three passes, the lowest estimated to be as little as 10ft above the ground, he destroyed his target.
Later that day, on another patrol, Ward sighted two Argentine Mirage fighters on their way to attack the landing force, flew head-on between them and turned hard to engage. As the Mirage fighters also turned, Lieutenant Commander Steve Thomas, Ward’s wingman, shot them down with Sidewinder missiles. A third, unseen, Mirage fired its cannon as it overtook Ward who shot him down, also with a Sidewinder.
During the conflict, Ward flew more than 60 combat missions, shot down three of the eight enemy aircraft destroyed by 801 Squadron, and deterred many more enemy attacks without loss in air-to-air combat. More importantly, with 800 NAS embarked in the carrier Hermes, Ward and the Sea Harriers wrested control of the air from a theoretically superior enemy.
Ward was the perfect choice to lead 801 NAS into battle. As a desk officer in the MoD from 1976 to 1979, and as commanding officer of an intensive flying trials unit, 700A Naval Air Squadron, in 1979, he had tested the Sea Harrier in all modes of combat. He had gained a huge respect for the aircraft’s capabilities, honed his own skills, and had written the standard operating and tactical procedures which were used in the Falklands War.
When he took the Sea Harrier to “top gun” school in the USA, he astounded his hosts with its performance, and he was awarded the Air Force Cross. In the UK, when the RAF declared it was too dangerous to land at the BBC’s Pebble Mill Studios in the centre of Birmingham, Ward made a vertical landing and take-off.
Next, in 1980-81, he commanded 899 NAS, the headquarters squadron of Sea Harrier, was promoted commander and appointed to 801 NAS which embarked in the carrier Invincible.
Ward was as fearless of the enemy as he was forthright to senior officers, and had an unshakeable belief in his own ability. After the Falklands War, the citation for his DSC read that he “distinguished himself in action, both as an inspiring and dynamic CO and as an outstandingly successful Sea Harrier pilot. From the first day HMS Invincible entered the Total Exclusion Zone around the Falkland Islands, the fighting spirit, superb morale and operational efficiency of 801 Squadron was apparent.
“These standards were maintained during a sustained period of operations without respite. As a pilot Commander Ward flew more than 60 combat sorties by day and night, often in marginal weather conditions setting a splendid example to his squadron of determination, skill and disregard for personal safety.”
Many others thought that for his leadership, professionalism and his personal contribution to victory, Ward deserved even greater recognition.
Nigel David Ward was born on September 22 1943 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, where his father, Johnny Ward, was an RAF engineer. Young Nigel crossed the Atlantic with his mother Marjorie, née Hodgkiss, in a small freighter in 1944, nearly died aged six of bronchiectasis, and attended nine schools before the age of nine, including in Pakistan and Singapore, before settling as a boarder at Reading School.
There, despite his claim to have been the most-caned boy, early signs of his leadership qualities made him captain of the rugby XV and head boy. Later, when he discerned descent from the kings of Ireland, he changed his name to MacCartan-Ward.
Inspired by a schoolboy visit to an aircraft carrier off Penang, he joined the Navy in 1962. He described his time training at BRNC Dartmouth as “idyllic days” and his time in the West Indies in the frigate Tartar as a “wild year”.
Returning to Dartmouth he played first XV rugby, was captain of the Tiger Moth Flying Club, and served as Divisional Sub-Lieutenant of Exmouth Division, before navigating the minesweepers Penston and Woolaston in Hong Kong for two “fantastic” years. In 1966 in Singapore, he qualified as a ship’s diver, but there was never any doubt that he would volunteer to fly.
His airborne career was checked, however, in 1969 when, days after completing his operational flying training, an exuberant Ward flew a Sea Vixen along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall below clifftop height: he was found guilty at court martial and reprimanded.
In 1970,Ward qualified as a day-night, all-weather pilot in the carrier Ark Royal flying the Phantom. He qualified as an instrument rating instructor in 1971 and an air warfare instructor in 1972, both before achieving the theoretical minimum number of hours necessary.
In 1972-74 he was the nuclear intelligence and planning officer at the headquarters of Allied Forces North Europe, before returning to flying as senior pilot of 892 NAS again in Ark Royal.
After his return from the Fallands, he received the freedom of the City of London, was made a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and was top student on the naval staff course. He then served one term in the Ministry of Defence as air warfare and air weapons adviser. Disappointed not be made Commander (Flying) of the new carrier Illustrious, he resigned in 1985 to set up a company which employed former special forces operatives to defend ships and tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War.
Short and wiry, with piercing blue eyes, Ward was married four times: first to Alison Taylor, a Wren, with whom he had two sons; secondly to the Turkish Semiha Mutlular; thirdly to Abigail Bayraktarolu, née May, and fourthly to Mary Egan. All four marriages were dissolved.
Later, he settled in Grenada, where he carried a .38 pistol, allegedly to avoid extradition to Turkey. He designed several villas for expatriate acquaintances, and he made rocking horses, coffee tables and fitted kitchen cabinets from tropical hardwoods.
Sharkey loved the tenor voice, and from the balcony of his own villa, looking out towards the sea, he would blast out Domingo, Pavarotti, Carreras and Bocelli. At dusk small snakes, bats and doves flocked to his balcony to be fed. Latterly he adopted stray dogs, including a puppy he found in the road outside the local church, and named “Vicar”. He gave any spare cash to poor Grenadians.
He engaged in vigorous advocacy of maritime air power and wrote three books. In Sea Harrier Over the Falklands: a Maverick at War (1992) he criticised the tactics of his admiral, “Sandy” Woodward, though later they were reconciled and campaigned together for stronger British defence forces. Her Majesty’s Top Gun: and the Decline of the Royal Navy (2020) was part stream-of-consciousness autobiography, part Boy’s Own adventure story and political manifesto. Last, with Dr Anthony R Wells, he wrote How Strategic Airpower Has Changed the World Order (2024).
He was deeply critical of the decision not to equip new British carriers with catapults and arrester gear and appalled by the 2010 decision to de-commission Ark Royal and the Harrier force. He extended his attention to wider British defence interests and was in regular correspondence with senior politicians and the House of Commons Defence Select Committee.
Ward’s attempts to keep fit were hindered by the pleasure he took in wining and dining with friends. He enjoyed close relations with his sons, Ashton, whom he described as a “top gun” businessman and Kristian, who predeceased him in 2018.
Kristian also flew the Harrier, from carriers and in Afghanistan; one of his father’s proudest moments was flying a two-seater Harrier with him. They were the only Royal Navy father and son to have qualified on the same aircraft type and to have engaged in combat duties.
Commander ‘Sharkey’ Ward, born September 22 1943, died May 17 2024
