In the summer of 1941 Sergeant James Ward was awarded the Victoria Cross for climbing out onto the wing of his Wellington bomber, 13,000 feet above the Zuider Zee,* to extinguish a fire in the starboard engine. Secured only by a rope around his waist, he managed not only to smother the fire but also to return along the wing to the aircraft's cabin.
Churchill, an admirer as well as a performer of swashbuckling exploits, summoned the shy New Zealander to 10 Downing Street. Ward, struck dumb with awe in Churchill's presence, was unable to answer the prime minister's questions.
Churchill viewed the unhappy hero with some compassion. "You must feel very humble and awkward in my presence," he said.
"Yes, sir," managed Ward.
"Then you can imagine how humble and awkward I feel in yours," said Churchill.
一九四一年夏天，詹姆斯．沃德中士獲頒維多利亞十字勳章，嘉許他在一萬三千英尺高空，下臨須德海*，爬出他那架威靈頓轟炸機的機艙，走到機翼上，撲滅右舷發動機的火焰，成功之後，還沿機翼走回機艙裏，其間只有一條長繩繫腰，以保安全。
邱吉爾行事喜歡逞豪雄，也欣賞那樣的行為。他召喚這位害臊的紐西蘭人到唐寧街十號首相府。沃德在邱吉爾跟前，十分惶恐，以致不能回答邱吉爾的問題。
邱吉爾望着這位局促不安的英雄，同情心起，說道：「你在我跟前，一定感到十分卑微、尷尬。」
沃德勉強吐出一句話：「不錯，首相。」
邱吉爾說：「那麼，你一定可以想到，我在你跟前，感到多麼卑微、尷尬。」
*須德海位在荷蘭西部。