Noel Agazarian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Noël le Chevalier Agazarian
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Noel Agazarian, photographed at RAF Warmwell, August 1940
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| Nickname(s) | Aggy |
| Born | 26 December 1916 London, England |
| Died | 16 May 1941 (aged 24) near Kambut, Italian Libya |
| Buried |
Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma
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| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1939–1941 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Unit | No. 609 Squadron RAF No. 274 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Relations | Jack Agazarian (brother) Monique Agazaria (sister) Francine Agazarian (sister-in-law) |
Noël le Chevalier Agazarian (born December 26, 1916 – died May 16, 1941) was a brave British pilot during World War II. He was known as a "fighter ace" because he shot down seven enemy planes. Noël was the brother of Jack Agazarian, who worked as a secret agent, and Monique Agazarian, who was also a pilot and a successful businesswoman.
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Noël Agazarian's Early Life
Noël Agazarian's father, Berge Agazarian, came to the United Kingdom from Armenia in 1911. He started with very little money. But he worked hard and became successful. He owned a company that worked with electricity.
Noël's mother was Jacqueline Marie-Louise le Chevalier from France. They had six children. Four of them were boys, and three of these boys later joined the Royal Air Force, which is the UK's air force. One of their two daughters, Monique Agazarian, also became a pilot. She flew planes for the Air Transport Auxiliary.
Their mother bought an old Sopwith Pup fighter plane from World War I. It cost only £5! She put it in their backyard. The children loved playing in it. This might have made them interested in flying.
Noël's School and College Days
Noël went to Dulwich College for school. He was very good at sports. He played on the main rugby team. He was also the captain of both the swimming and boxing teams. He won a special award called the Victor Ludorum for being the best athlete.
After school, Noël went to Wadham College, Oxford in 1935. At Oxford, he started learning to fly with the Oxford University Air Squadron. He also won a "blue" in boxing, which is a special award for sports at Oxford. He became good friends with Richard Hillary. Richard Hillary later wrote a famous book called The Last Enemy about his time as a fighter pilot.
Richard Hillary described Noël as a fun and smart friend. He said Noël was good at languages. Even though Noël was very athletic, he was also very intelligent.
Joining the Royal Air Force
Noël Agazarian joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1939. This meant he volunteered to serve as a pilot. He started his flight training at RAF Lossiemouth with his friend Richard Hillary. After that, they went to RAF Old Sarum. There, they trained to fly planes that helped the army.
They flew Westland Lysander planes, which were used for connecting with the army. They also flew Hawker Hector biplanes. During his training, Noël crashed a Hawker Hector, but he was not hurt.
By the time Noël finished his training in June 1940, France had been taken over by Germany. Many British soldiers had been rescued from Dunkirk. People thought Germany might invade Britain soon. Because of this, Noël and many other pilots from his training group were sent to become fighter pilots. Noël was very happy about this.
Fighting in the Battle of Britain
After a few weeks of fighter training, Noël joined No. 609 Squadron RAF. This was a fighter squadron that flew Supermarine Spitfires. They were based at RAF Warmwell in Dorset.
His first victory was on August 11, 1940. He shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter plane. This happened about 15 miles (24 km) south of the Isle of Portland. The German pilot and his gunner were killed.
The next day, August 12, he shot down two Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. He also damaged another Messerschmitt Bf 110. This happened near Portsmouth. It was during a big battle. German bombers and their fighter planes attacked Portsmouth. Three RAF fighter squadrons, including Noël's, stopped them.
Noël was promoted to flying officer on August 14. He continued to fly and fight throughout the Battle of Britain. His last victory with 609 Squadron was on December 2. He helped shoot down a Dornier Do 17 bomber with a Polish pilot named Tadeusz Nowierski.
By this time, Noël had shot down six enemy planes by himself. He had also damaged four planes and helped destroy three others. One of the planes he flew during the battle was a Supermarine Spitfire, number R6915. This plane still exists today! It is kept in the Imperial War Museum in London. Noël had to make emergency landings twice in this plane because it was damaged in battle. But he used it to shoot down four German planes and damage another.
Service in North Africa and Final Battle
In January 1941, Noël asked to be transferred to No. 274 Squadron RAF in North Africa. This squadron flew Hawker Hurricane fighter planes.
On May 1, 1941, he destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 over Tobruk, Libya. However, on May 16, he was shot down and killed. This happened near Gambut (Kambut) during a British attack called Operation Brevity. He was shot down by a German pilot named Fw. Franz Elles.
Noël Agazarian is buried in the Knightsbridge War Cemetery in Acroma, Libya.
