TRIBUTES PAID

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 6 August 1941, Page 3

TRIBUTES PAID

SERGEANT S HEROIC EXPLOIT MUST DOMINION V.C. OF THIS WAR THRILL THROUGH ALL HEARTS Wellington, This Day. When the distinction conferred on .Sergeant/ Ward was brought to the notice of the Acting-Prime Minister, , Mr Nash, yesterday, he paid him the following tribute: — •‘Sergeant Ward’s action will send a thrill through the hearts of all who read the story. We arc proud of him. and congratulate him and his parents on recognition of his work by the King, who has awarded him the highest distinction that can be given to one of the British race. “There are many things of which New Zealanders may justifiably l»e proud, but there is none greater than the quiet courage of her Sergeant Ward's parents in Wnnga- j ' nui received many congratulatory j messages, including the following tele. , . gram from Hie Governor-General. Sir . Cyril Newall: “I send you my warmest ; congratulations on tin? award of the highest decoration for gallantry, the ] Victoria Cross, to your son. Sergeant j Ward. Royal New Zealand Air Force, j You must be very proud of him.” PARENTS GET NEWS News that his son had been awarded i the Victoria Cross was received by j Mr P. Ward. Konini street. Gonville, ! from Dr. C. R. Davies, who was in the ! j neighbourhood of Konini street at the I time of the noon broadcast and heard , ‘ it on the radio in his car. Dr. Davies subsequently called on Mr and Mrs , Ward, who at that time had not re- j eeived any official advice. A short time j later, however, a telegram arrived from the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, congratulating them on their son’s award. Mr Ward, senior. s a stereotyper j on the stall’ of the "Wanganui Chronj icle.” where he has been employed for 2G years. “I. had not heard the wireless broadcast when Dr. Davies called, but. needless to say. I was very thrilled and extremely thankful that my son is alive to receive the decoration, thanks to the providence of God and the skill of the other pilot,” said Mr Ward. A brief reference to his feat is contained in a letter to Sergeant Ward’s | parents. He says: "We have been | away from the ’drome explaining j things to sundry powers-that-be after our affair the other night. A lot of ‘boloney’ is going on. I’ll send some cuttings from the papers. The rear- | gunner has got the D.F.M., and the j captain the D.F.C. They tell me they | are thinking something up for me, but it has not come through yet. We are going to see the front gunman in the morning. His foot is rather badly shattered, they have discovered.” Mr and Mrs Ward have not received the promised Press cuttings, but meanwhile have learned from another source what has been published in England. Sergeant Ward had his twenty-sec-ond birthday in June. He was teaching in Castlecliff on the relieving staff of the Wanganui Education Board j when he joined the Air Force a year J ago. He left New Zealand early this ! Before the war Sergeant Ward was | keen on flying. As a member of the | Wanganui Model Aero Club he made ; a mechanically-operated model aeroplane which was flown at a Dominion exhibition of model planes in Masteri ton two «years ago last Easter. His i model beat the New Zealand record ! and came within two or three points 'ot the world record. Keen on Rugby, | he played several games for the Wanganui Technical Old Boys’ Football j Club's senior team. He was a member iof the Castlecliff surf section of the ! Royal Life-Saving Society in 1937 and 1938. being in a junior championship tear-, which attended the Dominion championships in Wellington in 1937.