Simultaneously, Ward attacked Major Carlos Tomba's aircraft from behind with his cannon, setting the starboard engine on fire and damaging the port aileron.

[1][7][4][5][8] Later that same day Ward, and his wingman, Steve Thomas, were carrying out a low-level combat air patrol to the West of San Carlos over the land.

Whilst in a turn, Ward sighted two Argentine Air Force Mirage V "Dagger"s approaching from the West at very low level.

Whist this dog fight was going on, a fourth Dagger had evaded intercept and had attacked the air defence control ship Brilliant: fortunately with little damage.

[9][5][page needed][10] “As we reached Port Howard we went on either side of the settlement, to avoid the Argentine troop positions there but I must have flown over one of the outlying machine gun posts because suddenly I saw small orange flashes coming past me.

From the direction in which the bullets hit, the enemy machine gun must have been almost exactly underneath me.”[11] On the 1st June, 1982, Steve Thomas and Ward were in the climb returning to Invincible after combat air patrol when they were alerted by HMS Minerva to an intermittent radar contact 40 miles to the northwest.

Ward immediately led Thomas in a hard turn towards the reported contact position and detected a large aircraft target on his Blue Fox radar, at 38 miles and 4,000 feet below.

Ward then fired 240 rounds from his Harrier's two ADEN cannons and this action caused the enemy aircraft to lose control, sending it crashing into the sea and killing the seven crew members.

[12][5] Thomas flew over fifty war missions, achieved three air-to-air kills, and took part in or witnessed a total of ten kills; and was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry[13][14] Stephen was the only British pilot to shoot down three fast jets in the conflict, yet he was one of the least experienced Sea harrier pilots with less than 200 hours on the type.

He flew the BAe 146 Regional Jetliner on European routes from Manchester and later operated Boeing 737-400 for Air UK Leisure from Luton Airport.

After KLM bought Air UK, he moved to the Netherlands and served as a Captain on Boeing 767-300 ER on South American routes.