The gravestone for RAF legend Guy Gibson's pet dog 'N****r' has been replaced with one that doesn't use his name.
The stone tablet at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire – the World War II base of 617 'Dambusters' Squadron – honoured Gibson's black Labrador dog.
The beloved pet, that 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.
'N****r' was buried at Scampton at midnight, the very moment his owner 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.
But the RAF today confirmed the headstone has been removed and placed in storage as the name on it could cause offence to people.
It has instead been replaced with a brand new stone which bears the outline of a black Labrador dog at the top instead of its name.
The wording underneath remains the same.
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."
It is thought the change came as part of a review by the RAF of its historical assets that may contain an offensive term.
But the move has been met with anger by some people.
Gus Turnbull posted on social media: "Now they've gone too far. It's part of history and the dog belonged to a British hero recipient of our country's highest award for valour. You cannot change history to appease militants."
Scott Asby posted: "Absolutely disgusting, history is history, cannot & should't be changed."
Others supported the change.
'Why are so many adults averse to empathy, decency and compromise?" David Bonnici tweeted in response to those criticising the move.
"Personally, I'm more interested in remembering the names of the crews of No 617 Sqn's Lancasters who died that night than the name of a dog," Stuart Roxburgh wrote.
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There has been a lot of controversy over the use of the dog's name over the years.
In the 1955 war film, The Dam Busters, in which Richard Todd played Guy Gibson, the pet was called by its original name.
In 1999, ITV removed any mention of the name in a re-run of the film while a US version of the movie changed the name to Trigger by dubbing over it.
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