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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Dambusters dog's racial slur gravestone altered by RAF | Dambusters dog's racial slur gravestone altered by RAF |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Dog’s name was on headstone at base of 617 Squadron, which carried out wartime raid | Dog’s name was on headstone at base of 617 Squadron, which carried out wartime raid |
| The headstone of a grave of the Dambusters’ dog, whose name was a racial slur, has been altered. | |
| The 617 Squadron, based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, undertook a low-level night attack on German dams in 1943, probably the most famous raid in the history of the force. | The 617 Squadron, based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, undertook a low-level night attack on German dams in 1943, probably the most famous raid in the history of the force. |
| Wing Commander Guy Gibson used his dog’s name as a codeword to say the dam had been breached. The black labrador retriever died on the same night as the raid. | |
| Films about the Dambusters have either edited out the dog’s name or given him the moniker Trigger instead. | Films about the Dambusters have either edited out the dog’s name or given him the moniker Trigger instead. |
| A source at the RAF said the gravestone at Scampton would be stored in a safe location while the air historical branch considers the next steps. It is understood the RAF’s review of its historical assets is continuing and further changes may be made. | |
| The Conservative former minister Sir Edward Leigh, whose constituency includes Scampton, wrote to the RAF station commander saying: “Undoubtedly we are both more sensitive and more sensible today when it comes to the delicateness of racialist and derogatory terminology which had been used with unfortunate informality in the past. | The Conservative former minister Sir Edward Leigh, whose constituency includes Scampton, wrote to the RAF station commander saying: “Undoubtedly we are both more sensitive and more sensible today when it comes to the delicateness of racialist and derogatory terminology which had been used with unfortunate informality in the past. |
| “It is perfectly understandable that this is a tricky matter to which there are no simple or easy solutions. I am, however, very fearful of our ability today to erase or rewrite history. | “It is perfectly understandable that this is a tricky matter to which there are no simple or easy solutions. I am, however, very fearful of our ability today to erase or rewrite history. |
| “The past needs to be explained, taught about and learned from – not rewritten. Wing Commander Gibson’s dog was much loved by the Dambusters and was killed while he was on a raid risking his life to defend our country.” | “The past needs to be explained, taught about and learned from – not rewritten. Wing Commander Gibson’s dog was much loved by the Dambusters and was killed while he was on a raid risking his life to defend our country.” |
| A spokesman for the RAF said: “As part of an ongoing review of its historical assets, the RAF have replaced the gravestone of Guy Gibson’s dog at RAF Scampton. The new gravestone tells the story of Guy Gibson’s dog, but its name has been removed.” | A spokesman for the RAF said: “As part of an ongoing review of its historical assets, the RAF have replaced the gravestone of Guy Gibson’s dog at RAF Scampton. The new gravestone tells the story of Guy Gibson’s dog, but its name has been removed.” |