MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands Harrier Hero Flies Again -- with his Pilot Son

A Royal Navy flying ace of the 1982 Falklands War, Commander Nigel Ward, has made aviation history. His latest flight was in a Sea Harrier flown by his son, Kris, aged 27, celebrating his graduation as a lieutenant pilot. He serves in the same unit as his father did, 801 Squadron. They are the first father and son to have qualified to fly the same Royal Navy aircraft.

It was the first time Commander Ward, now 57, had been in a Sea Harrier for sixteen years since he retired from the Royal Navy in 1985. He said: "It was a dream come true to fly with my son. Kris has always wanted to fly with his Dad. Now it is the other way round. It was an awesome experience".

Commander Sharkey Ward, as he is known, now lives in the West Indies. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross for his exploits in the Falklands War in which he shot down three Argentine aircraft,. But he was later critical of the tactics of the 1982 commanders in their air defence of the Task Force.

Falklands and other Veterans Sue Defence MinistryMulti-Million Pound Compensation Claims for Stress

Forty Welsh Guardsmen and other soldiers who were trapped in the troop transport ship Sir Galahad as it was attacked by Argentine aircraft in the 1982 Falklands Conflict are among hundreds of ex-servicemen suing the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) for suffering post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which they say was caused by their war experiences.

Since the soldiers were trapped in the blazing vessel, some have suffered sleeplessness, headaches and lack of concentration. Some have not been employed since leaving the army. Fifty of their comrades were killed in the attack.

Other former soldiers involved in the court case served in Northern Ireland, the 1991 Gulf War and Bosnia. A six-month High Court deadline ending in November allows other ex-servicemen to join in the action. The test case is due to start in February next year.

Lawyers representing the soldiers say they the MOD faces accusations of clinical negligence for failing in its duty to diagnose and treat symptoms of stress disorder.

Already the biggest claim of its kind the MOD has ever faced, it could cost taxpayers huge sums of money in compensation, estimated to ran