Flight Sergeant James Allen Ward, RNZAF airman, World War II, c1941. Ward (1919-1941) was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions over Munster, Germany, on 7 July 1941. He was co-pilot of a Vickers Wellington bomber which was hit by fire from a German night fighter, causing a fire at the rear of the starboard engine. Ward crawled out onto the wing of the aircraft on the end of a rope and succeeded in smothering the fire with a canvas cover. He was killed in action over Hamburg a little over two months later.