James Allen Ward James Allen Ward VC ( 14 June 1919 – 15 September 1941 ) was a New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces . Biography . Ward was born in Whanganui where he attended Wanganui Technical College . He trained as a teacher at the Wellington College of Education in 1938 , and taught until enlisting in the Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF ) on 2 July 1940 . He trained as a pilot at Taieri and Wigram with Fraser Barron , who went on to be a renowned bomber pilot during the war . Barron and Ward sailed together on the " Aorangi " in January 1941 and were both stationed at 20 OTU Lossiemouth , in Scotland . Engine fire and Victoria Cross award . Ward was a 22 - year - old sergeant pilot with No . 75 ( NZ ) Squadron when he carried out the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross ( VC ) . He was co - pilot on a Vickers Wellington bomber flying out of RAF Feltwell in Norfolk , United Kingdom . On 7 July 1941 after an attack on Münster , Germany , the Wellington ( AA - R ) in which Sergeant Ward was second pilot was attacked by a German Bf 110 night - fighter . The attack opened a fuel tank in the starboard wing and caused a fire at the rear of the starboard engine . The skipper of the aircraft told him to try to put out the fire . Sergeant Ward crawled out through the narrow astro - hatch ( used for celestial navigation ) on the end of a rope taken from the aircraft ' s emergency dinghy . He kicked or tore holes in the aircraft ' s fabric to give himself hand - and foot - holes . By this means he got to the engine and smothered the flames with a canvas cover . Although the fuel continued to leak with the fire out the plane was now safe . His crawl back over the wing , in which he had previously torn holes , was more dangerous than the outward journey but he managed with the help of the aircraft ' s navigator . Instead of the crew having to bail - out , the aircraft made an emergency landing at Newmarket , United Kingdom . The recommendation for a VC was a matter of discussion at the time . Senior RAF officers questioned whether a VC was appropriate since his actions had some aspect of self - preservation . In the summer of 1941 , Sergeant Ward was summoned to 10 Downing Street by prime minister Winston Churchill . The shy New Zealander was struck dumb with awe by the experience and was unable to answer the prime minister ' s questions . Churchill regarded the reluctant hero with some compassion . " You must feel very humble and awkward in my presence , " he said . " Yes , sir , " managed Ward . " Then you can imagine how humble and awkward I feel in yours , " said Churchill . Victoria Cross Citation . The announcement and accompanying citation for the decoration was published in supplement to the London Gazette on 5 August 1941 , reading Death and legacy . James Ward was killed in action on 15 September 1941 , when his Wellington bomber was hit by flak over Hamburg , caught fire and crashed . Only two of the five crew survived . It was Ward ' s 11th sortie , and his 5th as crew captain . He is buried in the Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery Ohlsdorf in Hamburg . The Victoria Cross was presented to James ' brother by the Governor General of New Zealand at Government House , Wellington on 16 October 1942 . On 3 March 2006 , Ward ' s VC and other service medals which previously had been in the custody of the RNZAF , were returned to his family who have since permanently loaned them to the Auckland War Memorial Museum for display in the armoury section . A wooden model aircraft Ward was making when called up is on display at the RNZAF Museum . On 18 November 2004 , shortly before the dissolution of the Wellington College of Education , in preparation for merging with Victoria University the hall at the complex was renamed the Ward VC Hall . Today it is incorrectly called the Alan Ward VC Hall . ) The assembly hall at Ward ' s alma mater , Wanganui City College ( formerly Wanganui Technical College ) , is also named after him . On 14 May 2011 , the community centre at RAF Feltwell was dedicated in his honour .