In1941SergeantJamesWardwasawardedtheVictoriaCrossforclimbingoutontothewingofhisWellingtonbomber13,000feetabovetheZuiderZeetoextinguishafireinthestarboardengine.Securedonlybyaropearoundhiswaist,hemanagednotonlytosmotherthefirebutalsotoreturnalongthewingtotheaircraft'scabin.Churchill,anadmireraswellasaperformerofswashbucklingexploits,summonedtheshyNewZealanderto10DowningStreet.Ward,struckdumbwithaweinChurchill'spresence,wasunabletoanswertheprimeminister'squestions.
"Youmustfeelveryhumbleandawkwardinmypresence,"saidChurchill."Yes,sir,"managedWard."ThenyoucanimaginehowhumbleandawkwardIfeelinyours,"saidChurchill.
一九四一年，詹姆斯．沃德中士獲頒維多利亞十字勳章，表揚他爬到機翼上，撲滅飛機右邊引擎的火焰：當時他的威靈頓轟炸機位在一萬三千英尺高空，下臨須德海，而沃德只有一條粗繩綁着腰部，以保安全，滅火之後，還沿着機翼返回駕駛艙。邱吉爾向來欣賞並喜歡表演這類奮勇犯難的行為，就在唐寧街十號召見這位羞怯的紐西蘭人。沃德見到邱吉爾，心存敬畏，張口結舌，無法回答這位首相的問題。
邱吉爾說：「你在我跟前，一定感到十分卑微、尷尬。」沃德好不容易才擠出一句話：「是啊，首相。」邱吉爾說：「那麼，你該可以想像得到，我在你跟前，感到多麼卑微、尷尬。」