Derek Harland Ward

Forenames

Derek Harland AWMM

Surname

Ward AWMM

Service number

40786 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Birth

31 Jul 1917 AWMM

Next of kin

WW2 Parents: Dr & Mrs S. H. Ward, 153 Banks St, Whangarei AWMM

Relationship status

Single/WWII AWMM

War

• Regular Military Service AWMM
• World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Campaign

1940 AWMM Battle of Britain AWMM

Armed force / branch

Air Force AWMM

Service number

40786 AWMM

Military service

• Royal Air Force, No. 151 Squadron AWMM
• Royal Air Force, No. 73 Squadron AWMM
• Royal Air Force, No. 87 Squadron AWMM

Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

• Royal Air Force, No. 151 Squadron AWMM
• Royal Air Force, No. 87 Squadron AWMM
• Royal Air Force, No. 73 Squadron AWMM

Medals and Awards

• Distinguished Flying Cross and bar (DFC*) AWMM
• 1939-45 Star (Battle of Britain clasp) AWMM
• War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM

Military training

• Royal New Zealand Air Force, Wigram AWMM
  Wigram (pilot officer on probation) AWMM
• Royal Air Force, Uxbridge AWMM

Enlistment

• Inter War 23 May 1937 AWMM
  Age  19 AWMM
• Inter War Jun 1938 AWMM

Embarkation details

Inter War Vessel was Tamaroa AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM

Medical notes

Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Killed on air operations AWMM

Last rank

Squadron Leader (Pilot) AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 73 Squadron AWMM

Death

17 Jun 1942 AWMM
Age  24 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed in Action AWMM

Cemetery

Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt AWMM 1. C. 10. AWMM

Memorial name

Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Royal Air Force website. Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary.
  http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/battleofbritain70thanniversary.cfm
  Further Reference
• Battle of Britain Historical Society website.
  http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/
  Further Reference
• Wikidata Entity
  http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5262019
  Further Reference
• Romano, Gail. 'So what the hell'. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira. First published: 10 September 2021
  https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/so-what-the-hell
  Further Reference
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2058319
  Further Reference
• RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ib - Ly. Archives New Zealand (R17845612)
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845617
  Sources Used
• List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. Archives New Zealand (R17845744)
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845744
  Sources Used
• See a list of New Zealanders awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp here (PDF). Compiled with the assistance of Errol Martyn and linked from the NZHistory page produced by Manatū Taonga, Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
  https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/nz-battle-of-britain-list.pdf
  Further Reference
• Battle of Britain: Allied Pilots, Aircrew Remembered
  https://aircrewremembered.com/BattleOfBritainDatabase/battlebritain-alpha-list.html
  Further Reference
• Wikipedia contributors. (2025, November 15). List of World War II aces from New Zealand. In Wikipedia.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_aces_from_New_Zealand
  Further Reference

References

• Northland roll of honour and servicemen of WW II [electronic resource]. (2002). Whangarei, N.Z.: Returned Services Association.
• Thompson, H. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vols. 1-3). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
  Volume 1, pp. 54, 64, 83, 88, 137; Volume 3, pages 48, 59, 69, 70.
• Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
  Vol. 1 p. 213
• Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Auckland. N.Z.: Author.
  p.407-414
• Wynn, K. (1989). Men of the Battle of Britain. Norwich, England: Gliddon Books.
• Ministry for Culture and Heritage. (2012). New Zealanders serving with RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, 10 July – 31 October 1940. [A list compiled by Ministry for Culture and Heritage with Errol Martyn].
• RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ue - Z. Archives New Zealand (R17845617) - Former archives reference: AIR118
• Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
• List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [(New Zealanders Attached to R.A.F. [Royal Air Force]) (Officers), (Europe) - Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845744)
• List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Deceased New Zealanders (Formerly) serving with RAF [Royal Air Force]. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845760).
• RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] - Historical Items - List of New Zealand Fighter aces with their Scores (Unofficial) December 1944. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845799).
• Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.