West Lindsey District Council: Guy Gibson’s dog grave to be moved
It could be taken to RAF Marham
There are plans to move the grave of Wing Commander Guy Gibson’s dog from RAF Scampton to RAF Marham.
The RAF applied to West Lindsey District Council to move the grave from the hanger to the current base for the 617 Squadron in Norfolk.
The beloved Labrador, whose name was a racial slur, was a mascot for the Dambusters squadron.
The force’s application said there was no guarantee that the site’s heritage could be secured, given uncertainty around asylum seeker housing plans.
However, the potential grave relocation has caused controversy after it was made public on Wednesday.
Scampton Holdings, the developers behind West Lindsey District Council’s £300 million investment plans for the site, has said the move is a warning sign that RAF Scampton’s heritage will be lost.
“The exodus of historical artifacts from the site will have a significant long-term impact on the local economy and community,” they said.
“In the hearts and minds of a significant proportion of the British public, the dog’s story is synonymous with the Dambuster story.
“The links between RAF wartime aircrew and pets are well known, with many squadrons keeping dogs as mascots to provide comfort in down-time amidst stressful flying operations which went hand-in-hand with the loss of friends and colleagues.”
The application from the RAF says: “We believe the grave site is at risk and carries significant reputational risk given the racial slur now associated with the dog’s name.
“We feel it would be better to return the marker and any remains to 617 Squadron.
“The dog was one of the Squadron’s mascots and would take care of the story for the foreseeable future.
“Ideally the grave would remain at Scampton as part of the important story, and indeed the nation’s story, but the future is now too uncertain to recommend this course of action.”
However, there has been mixed reaction on social media with some criticising the move and others arguing that it might be better located elsewhere.
Guy Gibson’s dog featured in both his biography and in the 1955 film ‘The Dam Busters’. He was killed after being hit by a car on the night of the Dambusters raid.
His name has caused controversy in recent years, and was removed from the gravestone in 2020.
This sparked a petition with thousands of signatures for it to be put back.
West Lindsey District Council heads to the High Court today (Thursday, May 11) in a bid to stop the Home Office plans to house asylum seekers at RAF Scampton.