Cdr 'Sharkey'Ward RN

[glojo]

Pierre Argh has very kindly explained the possible differences between the Royal Navy SL and GL officer listings, namely:


Most aircrew were recruited onto the SL, it got them through the training pipeline quickly as they started flying training on graduation from Dartmouth. Therefore an SL(X)(P) with career aspirations would a. have to request transfer to GL, and b. go off to complete his Bridge Watchkeeping ticket and gain seamanship experience.


In fairness to Cmdr Sharkey Ward and what is being said on this thread this person did serve at sea prior to going to Fixed Wing Flight Training and he did gain his Bridge Watchkeeping Ticket Bridge, plus Ocean Navigation Ticket.


I have read a number of articles written by this retired Naval Officer and yes they are perhaps embarrassing, BUT..... There is None So Deaf as Those Who Do Not Want To Hear and although his remarks are 'perhaps' OTT, they are spoke with passion and from the heart with probably not enough thought and definitely NOT ENOUGH TACT!

Cmdr Ward was quite clearly a highly\extremely highly qualified Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot who could talk the talk and walk the walk. The Admiralty recognized that talent and put it to the best possible use regarding the introduction of this much loved aircraft.



Unfortunately this person appears to be a flawed diamond but may I respectfully suggest that we should listen to what he says and perhaps treat it with some respect?


My thoughts were that he was under tremendous strain during the Falklands conflict and sadly it might be possible that this condition may not have been recognised, or if it was then possibly the medical officer was not strong enough to deal with this strong will, self opinionated person?



I say this with the greatest of respect and hopefully folks will take this in the way i am trying to put it across?


To all those folks that have been so critical of this retired officer I will respectfully ask you all this one question:


How many of you have been under the same extreme and prolonged stress as this person? I tend to not listen very much to folks I call armchair critics and it is easy to offer insults from the comfort of the keyboard, but perhaps not so easy when you are ordering your fellow pilots to put their lives on the line day in, day out for weeks on end in an extremely hostile environment where they was a good possibility of being shot down\killed. Plus of course he was also flying these missions and if required writing that last letter to the loved ones of a lost pilot.



Cmdr Ward is clearly Royal Navy through and through but if we all take with a pinch of salt some of the more outrageous remarks and read what he is saying then I would suggest that those who have not read his book should go out, buy a copy and then when we read the criticism regarding the Royal Air Force, perhaps we should remember that a pilot in his squadron was indeed an RAF officer. Flt Lt Mortimer.. (respect to this officer)


I salute all those brave pilots of both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force that were embarked onboard both the aircraft carriers that fought in the Falklands campaign



I just hope that all their brave efforts are not for nothing and yes I do disagree with the scrapping of our conventional aircraft carriers.



Yours sincerely
John