Sharkey Ward

Nigel Ward
Birth name	Nigel David MacCartan-Ward
Nickname(s)	"Sharkey"
Born	1943 Canada
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1962–89
Rank	Commander
Unit	Fleet Air Arm
Commands held	801 Naval Air Squadron
Battles/wars	Falklands War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Cross

Commander Nigel David "Sharkey" Ward, DSC, AFC (born 1943), born Nigel David MacCartan-Ward, is a former Royal Navy officer and Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot who commanded 801 Naval Air Squadron during the 1982 Falklands War.

Ward was born in Canada in 1943. In 1962 he joined Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth as an officer cadet. After basic flying training he completed his training with the Fleet Air Arm on the Hawker Hunter and Sea Vixen. He then joined 892 Naval Air Squadron and flew the F-4K Phantom from HMS Ark Royal, where he qualified as an Air Warfare Instructor. He then worked as a nuclear planning officer at NATO Allied Forces Northern Europe. In 1979, he took command of the Sea Harrier FRS.1 Intensive Flying Trials Unit at 700 Naval Air Squadron. Ward featured in an episode of Pebble Mill at One that year when he landed a Sea Harrier in a sports field next to the Pebble Mill Studios.

As commanding officer of 801 Squadron, Ward had to prepare the Sea Harrier for action in the South Atlantic. Aircraft and pilots were borrowed from the conversion unit, 899 Naval Air Squadron, and with a strength of eight aircraft they embarked in HMS Invincible on 4 April 1982.

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