Guy Gibson’s dog
My British readers will be aware of this event, but I know that in many other countries, it is not so well known unless people have seen the movie.
Today’s blog was inspired by a conversation with a retired US Navy pilot, incidentally a gentleman of colour, who was extremely knowledgeable regarding this story. He understood many of the technical aspects involved, had nothing but admiration for the pilots and crews and told me that any controversy about names was disrespectful to those who took part.
He also told me that flying a World War 11 Lancaster bomber at a height of 60 feet in the dark was madness. He’d rather go hang gliding in a hurricane, and it would be safer!!
The dog
This story, as you would expect, is about a dog. A very well-known dog that was portrayed in a famous movie that told a true story. However, there is a problem. And the problem is? It’s the dog’s name, for whilst his name was acceptable In the 1940s, it is totally unacceptable now.
You see if I use his name, then I will cause offence to the politically correct brigade, not that it bothers me at all, but I may cause distress to a number of my readers despite what I am writing being historically correct.
If I don’t use the name, then it could be argued that I am pandering to the PC brigade and rewriting history. A case of damned if I do and damned if I don’t. Unfortunately, the name of the dog is in fact an integral part of the story. Literally, it’s impossible to accurately recount the events without the name. I could change it, but then the story would contain an inaccuracy, and I am not sure that is the right thing to do. Ironically, a remake of the film was muted in 2006 when Peter Jackson, movie director, producer and writer, bought the rights to make the movie but sadly has not done so. This raised the question of the dogs name as the new scrip has been written by Stephen Fry and his solution was to refer to the dog as Digger
Another solution was to refer to the dog as Nigsey, supposedly because his owner allegedly used the name. In the USA, most people think that the dog’s name was Trigger, as he was renamed when the film was released.
As I pondered how to deal with this conundrum, it occurred to me that just as some are so quick to condemn the actions of those in the past, I wondered how our political correctness would be viewed in eighty years’ time by that generation. By rewriting history, future generations learn nothing. By being aware of our history, we can learn from our mistakes.
By now, some of you will have guessed the name, and whilst it is offensive in today’s world, I have decided that historical accuracy takes precedence, and I have used the name as sparingly as I can.
The raid
It was 1943, and WW11 was still raging. This particular event was called Operation Chastise, and the object of the exercise was to destroy three dams, the Mohne, the Eder and finally the Sorpe. This was designed to cause extensive damage by flooding to power stations, factories, mines and farmland in the Ruhr valley in Germany. A special bouncing bomb was designed by a brilliant scientist called Barnes Wallace, and a special squadron was formed to deliver the bombs. The raid involved flying at incredibly low levels. The squadron was called 617 and would become famous for its actions on the night of 16/17 May 1943.
Wing Commander Guy Gibson, only 24 years old, a highly experienced pilot serving In the Royal Air Force (RAF) who had already survived 170 missions, was chosen to command the squadron.
Gibson didn’t arrive alone. He came with his dog, a black Labrador Retriever called Nigger.
Gibson’s dog became the mascot of 617 squadron and was a source of inspiration to the men. He accompanied Gibson on training flights, and he was a regular visitor to the officers’ mess, where he had his own bowl, which was filled with beer. This dog’s appetite for the dark brown liquid was legendary, and he was reputed to pass out after a heavy drinking session. Before you say it, yes, I know giving a canine alcohol is highly irresponsible. However, this was the 1940s, attitudes were different, and it was a time of war. Sadly, Gibson’s dog was killed by a passing car on the day of the raid, but it was kept hidden from the men so as not to affect morale. So the squadron’s labrador mascot was buried at midnight as the attack was unfolding in keeping with Gibson’s wishes.
On the night of the 17th, May 1943 617 squadron took off to attack their targets. The event became famous as the Dam Busters raid. Two of the dams were breached, and the third was damaged.
In order to indicate the success of the breach of the Mohne dam, a word had to be devised that could be transmitted by Morse Code. This is the reason why it is impossible to ignore the name of Gibson’s dog because the code word sent was the dog’s name, hence the heading of this blog.
The grave of Nigger remains in place at RAF Scampton Lincolnshire; however, in 2020, his headstone was replaced with one that excluded his name as the RAF “didn’t want to give prominence to an offensive term.” I must admit I find it puzzling that people fail to realise that by changing history, they actually give prominence to the very thing that they want to erase. In the modern world of social media, the dog’s name and original gravestone are available for scrutiny, particularly on sites like YouTube.
Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC DFC & Bar DSO & Bar was, without any doubt, an incredibly brave man who was awarded Britain’s highest medal for gallantry in the face of the enemy and who eventually lost his life in the service of his country. His memory should not be blighted by naming his dog in a way that was perfectly normal at the time.
Historical note
During the attack on the dams, 8 Lancaster bombers were lost, 53 aircrew lost their lives, and three were captured. For many years, the Dambusters raid was considered to be more of a propaganda coup as the damage was repaired within a year.
Modern historians, however, have taken a very different view. As they have quite rightly pointed out, the resources in manpower and materials to repair the damage were mainly diverted from the fortifications due to be built at Normandy as part of the Atlantic Wall project.
Had the Dambusters raid not occurred, the Allied troops landing on the beaches on the 6th of June 1944 (D-Day) would have met with many more physical barriers and a vastly greater number of troops. If D-Day had failed, the world today may well be a very different place.
“We don’t always need advice. Sometimes all we need is a hand to hold, an ear to listen and a heart that understands. Sometimes all we need is a dog.”
Anon