Moving the black dog’s grave?
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13th May 2023, 01:06
In fact, the linking of the two things in my opinion serves to divide and discredit the effort and sacrifice that went into the raids. Get over it. There were hundreds of dogs on airfields all over bomber command and fighter command but nobody cares where their bones are now? Or are is there actually a huge shift to find the remains of every pet across the RAF during the period? Focus on the crews and the efforts and leave the casual racism out of it.
The use of a Dog's Name today seems to get some folks knickers in a wad....no matter the context of the use of a six letter word....one that was used as a Military Code Word announcing the success of a very costly but important bombing raid of WWII.
That it was the name of the Commanding Officer's Black Lab Dog, an Aviator that made a tremendous contribution to the victory of that War cannot be ignored or displaced or altered. He named his dog what. he did and that is historical fact as was the use of the dog's name following the raid.
That name was used to identify the dog...only the dog and was not used in any way to suggest any kind of racial slur towards anyone here or any ethnic group in the post some are taking issue with.
I would suggest some of you need to wind your necks in and get over whatever super sensitivities you have about it.
When that form of address is used in reference to any person or ethnic group at these forums I am quite sure a large hammer shall fall on the individual that does so.
What other terms/words/phrases would you sensitive types like to see stricken from the English language and what justification would you offer for that.....the fact that you just don't like it is not going to cut it?
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When I was based at Scampton over thirty years ago the rumour was that the grave didn’t actually contain Gibson’s dog’s remains because they were under one of the buildings built sometime after the initial burial, the station gymnasium iirc.
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As an aside, one would imagine the fallout at Scampton had the dog's old headstone been in place when the asylum seekers arrived.......
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Maybe the name “Digger” is more appropriate than first thought…
Each new crew on 617 had to tend the grave in front of the squadron offices (did it myself in 1978), typically for about six weeks. Every one knew, however, that he had been buried somewhere near the airmen's mess.
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I have a bit of an issue about this. It wasn't a racist remark in context, but rather the name of a much-loved dog. In this day and age, I wouldn't dream of using the word in a derogatory way, but YOU CAN'T GO CHANGING HISTORY. We now have the ridiculous situation where, in the last iteration I saw, the dog is referred to as "Trigger", but the code for the breach is, "Tigger". Offensive to the fans of Winnie the Pooh?
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On my first tour in 1969 on 617 Sqn at Scampton, the most junior officer was appointed OIC the grave, keeping it tidy until somebody more junior arrived. It was not an arduous task, and came with the bonus of a very smart tankard kept in the Officers' Mess bar, engraved with the sqn crest and the words "For the use of the most junior officer". I can confirm that the new station gymnasium was built over the site of the original grave sometime after the war.
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I heard the rumours that it was empty too, maybe a case in this instance of barking up the wrong hole. still they could always have a back up dogs remains to chuck in the hole...
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Maybe the most appropriate place for the headstone is now the RAF Museum. Obviously, with the dog's name chiselled off and replaced by a subtitle...not.
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Locals are not happy.
https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2023/05/...y-gibsons-dog/
https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2023/05/...y-gibsons-dog/
Plans to move the grave of Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s dog from RAF Scampton to RAF Marham have been called a “kick in the teeth” for the community.
The RAF applied to West Lindsey District Council to move the grave from the hangar to the current base for the 617 Squadron in Norfolk.
The RAF applied to West Lindsey District Council to move the grave from the hangar to the current base for the 617 Squadron in Norfolk.
Imagine how unhappy they'll be when they discover that there is nothing there to move.
Best place for the none-dog to go would be Woodhall Spa (Dambuster's Memorial) . Not much chance of turning that location into an Asylum Centre. Marham on the other hand will be on a Home Office list of potential sites - not near the top yet, but it'll on a list.
The lovely Petwood Hotel nearby also could be considered - Twas the official Squadrons Officers 'mess'' IIRC >?
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The ‘need’ to move the grave was an issue when Scampton was up for disposal in the 1990s shortly after I went through CFS there. The story I heard at the time was that the dog was pretty unpopular with the ‘erks’ as he tended to crap everywhere, when Gibson tasked one of his NCOs with burying the dog at midnight, as they were attacking the first dam, he in turn detailed a couple of airmen for the task.
They simply chucked the body over a hedge outside the camp then disturbed the earth in the flowerbed and reported ‘job done’.
So the gravesite is just symbolic. To move it though does seem unnecessary, if the migrants really took offence (should they even understand the significance) then it could serve as a first adjustment to life in a new land, one with its own history that shouldn’t be wiped away in a frenzy to accommodate people that have illegally entered the country.
They simply chucked the body over a hedge outside the camp then disturbed the earth in the flowerbed and reported ‘job done’.
So the gravesite is just symbolic. To move it though does seem unnecessary, if the migrants really took offence (should they even understand the significance) then it could serve as a first adjustment to life in a new land, one with its own history that shouldn’t be wiped away in a frenzy to accommodate people that have illegally entered the country.
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Imagine how unhappy they'll be when they discover that there is nothing there to move.
Best place for the none-dog to go would be Woodhall Spa (Dambuster's Memorial) . Not much chance of turning that location into an Asylum Centre. Marham on the other hand will be on a Home Office list of potential sites - not near the top yet, but it'll on a list.
Best place for the none-dog to go would be Woodhall Spa (Dambuster's Memorial) . Not much chance of turning that location into an Asylum Centre. Marham on the other hand will be on a Home Office list of potential sites - not near the top yet, but it'll on a list.
So the gravesite is just symbolic. To move it though does seem unnecessary, if the migrants really took offence (should they even understand the significance) then it could serve as a first adjustment to life in a new land, one with its own history that shouldn’t be wiped away in a frenzy to accommodate people that have illegally entered the country.
Single question: Are you offended by this piece of heritage?
If answer yes, an immediate free transfer to Rwanda.
If answer no, application may proceed normally.
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