Dambusters hero's niece is branded racist after her petition to restore name of RAF legend Guy Gibson's dog N****r to the pet's gravestone amassed almost 20,000 signatures
- Sarah Hobday launched petition to return name to headstone at RAF Scampton
- She amassed almost 20,000 signatures and was reportedly branded a racist
- Headstone was switched by the RAF following a 'review of its historical assets'
A Dambusters hero's relative has been branded a racist after her petition to restore the name of RAF legend Guy Gibson's dog to its gravestone amassed almost 20,000 signatures.
Sarah Hobday, 41, launched a campaign to return black Labrador N****r's name to the headstone at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire amid fury over its removal on Thursday.
Ms Hobday, whose great uncle Sydney Hobday was part of the crew who breached the Eder dam in May 1943, initially set a goal of 15,000 signatures which was eclipsed by Saturday. She has since gathered 19,574 supporters.
The campaigner wants the stone tablet 'back where it belongs' after RAF top brass paid for a new memorial, replacing where the dog's name was with an outline of the canine and the words 'The Dog.'
Ms Hobday, who called the act an 'eradication of history,' has now been 'reported for being a racist' amid the petition.
Sarah Hobday, 41, launched a campaign to return black Labrador N****r's name to the headstone at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire amid fury over its removal on Thursday
Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC (right), Dambusters hero with his devoted dog 'N****r'. The black labrador was kiiled by a hit-and-run driver just hours before Gibson led the RAF's crack 617 squadron to drop 'bouncing bombs' on German dams in May 1943
David Green, who grew up at RAF Scampton in the 1980s and regularly visited the dog's grave, said: 'I hope people do support Sarah Hobday with this petition.
'It means a lot to her as a member of Dambusters, Sydney Hobday, was a family member.
'Sadly, due to her putting a lot of effort into this, some silly minded people have reported her for being a racist.
'I know her personally and she is not racist at all but so passionate about this cause. She isn't in the best of health and this is only adding extra health issues on her.
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'I have to say well done to her for getting the petition going and all she has done to voice her views on this.'
The stone tablet honours Gibson's black Labrador N****r, who was run over by a car and killed just hours before his Wing Commander owner led the famous World War Two raid.
But the RAF carried out a 'review of its historical assets' and decided the term – which is an offensive slur against people of colour – had to go.
The airfield said it 'did not want to give prominence to an offensive term'.
Ms Hobday, whose great uncle Sydney Hobday was part of the crew who breached the Eder dam, initially set a goal of 15,000 signatures which was eclipsed by Saturday. She has since gathered 19,574 supporters
Wg Cdr Guy Gibson, Officer Commanding No. 617 Sqn, was awarded the VC for his part in leading the Dambusters raid but died in 1944 aged 26 when his plane crashed over Germany
The memorial had remained untouched at RAF Scampton - the World War Two base of 617 'Dambusters' Squadron – for years in the dog's honour.
The switch was only revealed when headstone firm Draper Memorials posted an image of the new tablet online.
Royal Air Force veteran Mark Dewberry told the company he was disgusted about the monument being changed.
He said: 'You have questions to answer about replacing N****r's memorial stone.
'You have upset thousands of veterans, like myself.
'Are you going to delete this post and start to disrespect your countries veterans. You all should be ashamed of yourselves.'
Despite having been paid for the work, Drapers' original comment next to their now-deleted post seemed to hint at their own disquiet over the change.
It said: 'This morning we have been out to replace the plaque to Guy Gibson's black Labrador at Raf Scampton. You can't rewrite history'.
Richard Todd played Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC in the 1955 film The Dam Busters
The dog, who served as the mascot of 617 Squadron, was run over by a car and killed on the day of the famous raid in May 1943.
He was buried at Scampton at midnight, the very moment his owner, who was killed a year later aged 26 during a late night sortie over Germany, was leading the daring attack on a series of dams in Germany's Ruhr Valley for which he won the Victoria Cross.
The gravestone was marked with his name at the top and the story of his demise beneath it.
An RAF Spokesperson 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 the name has been removed.'
The Dambusters: How bouncing bombs - and incredible flying by RAF pilots - flooded the Ruhr and delivered a crucial blow to Hitler
On May 16, 1943, 19 Lancaster bomber crews gathered at a remote RAF station in Lincolnshire for a mission of extraordinary daring - a night-time raid on three heavily defended dams deep in Germany's industrial heartland.
The dams were heavily fortified and needed the innovative bomb - which bounced on the water over torpedo nets and sank before detonating.
To succeed, the raiders would have to fly across occupied Europe under heavy fire and then drop their bombs with awesome precision from a mere 60ft above the water.
The Mohne and Eder Dams in the industrial heart of Germany were attacked and breached by mines dropped from specially modified Lancasters of No. 617 Squadron.
A Lancaster Bomber on a commemorative flight in 1967 to mark the anniversary of the Dambusters raid that breached the Mohne and Eder dams
The Sorpe dam was was also attacked by two aircraft and damaged.
A fourth dam, the Ennepe was reported as being attacked by a single aircraft (O-Orange), but with no damage.
Up to 1,600 people were estimated to have been killed by floodwaters and eight of the 19 aircraft dispatched failed to return with the loss of 53 aircrew and three taken prisoner of war.
Wg Cdr Guy Gibson, Officer Commanding No. 617 Sqn, is awarded the VC for his part in leading the attack.
The raid, orchestrated by Guy Gibson and the RAF's 617 'Dambuster' Squadron, was seen as a major victory for the British, and Wing Commander Gibson is recognised as one of the war's most revered heroes.
Their success was immortalised in the classic 1955 film The Dambusters, its thrilling theme tune and gung-ho script evoking the best of British derring-do.
Wg Cdr Gibson was killed at the age of 26 when his Mosquito plane crashed during a night-time sortie over Germany.
