There are many Armenians from Asia who were involved in WW1 and WW2, but we’d like to tell you about Noel Dudley Mackertich, an unexpected hero of WW2. We haven’t featured him before in our heritage project, but his flying career during WW2 is worthy of recognition. He was born in Dhaka 25 December 1921 to Armenian parents, Haik, a jute merchant, and Anna Mackertich. Noel was a remarkable man, heroic, brave and tenacious.
Noel Dudley Mackertich circ1964
But first, he travelled to England in August 1939 as a 17 year old student, living with his maternal grandmother Elizabeth Gordon-Napier in Nottingham. For family history buffs, she had changed her name by deed-poll in 1936 to Gordon-Napier from her married surname of Nahapiet.
Noel was studying at Edinburgh University when he became a member of their Air Squadron. By 1941 he had signed up to join the war effort and chose to become a pilot with the Royal Air Force. He, along with other new recruits from Edinburgh University Air Squadron sailed from England via Canada to Detroit and then travelled on to Florida where he embarked on 6 months pilot training at the British Flying Training School at Clewiston. Incredibly, a photograph exists of all the students of his course, and we are grateful to #5 British Flying School Clewiston for sharing their archive.[1]
Course 3 at the British Flying Training School, Clewiston, Florida. Refer to the legend for Noel Mackertich. Image courtesy of #5 British Flying School Clewiston, link at bottom.
Upon completion he returned to England and joined the 277 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve air/sea rescue service flying the Walrus Amphibian Aircraft. He was involved in a number of dangerous rescue operations, but one that gained him the Distinguished Flying Cross in July 1944, was nothing short of miraculous. At the age of just 22 years, the London Gazette notice recognised his bravery: “in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy. A most resolute courageous and skilful pilot, he had completed a large number of sorties involving air and sea rescue operations.”
Notice in the London Gazette of the Distinguished Flying Cross conferred on Flight Lt. Noel Mackertich in 1944.
One of those rescue missions was truly audacious. “Under the noses of the Germans, not a mile off enemy held Dieppe, a Walrus amphibian pilot, Noel Mackertich, came down on a rough sea, picked up a ditched Norwegian wing commander, and got away safely after taxi-ing nearly three miles.”
Walrus Amphibious Aircraft similar to the one flown by Noel Mackertich on rescue missions.
Image courtesy of https://naval-aviation.com/ww2/uk/supermarine-walrus.php
For this act of bravery, Flight Lieutenant Noel Mackertich D.F.C., was presented with the Norwegian award of St. Olav Medal, with oak leaves, from a grateful nation.
This was the third time the wing commander had been saved by the same squadron of Air Sea Rescue Service.
This weekend in the UK is Remembrance Sunday, there is always a two minute silence at 11am (GMT) and services are conducted around the country in cities, towns, villages and local memorial areas to remember those who fought and died in past conflicts. Although Noel survived his time in WW2, and went on to live a normal civilian life, completing his studies at Edinburgh University in 1948/49 and going on to married twice, firstly to Edna Broadhurst in 1950 and secondly as a widower in 1992. We take this opportunity to remember him and all the other Armenians from Asia who fought in these conflicts and sacrificed so much.
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[1] http://www.5bfts.org.uk/Default.aspx
