Britain’s Royal Air Force’s 14 Squadron has dropped its historic “Crusaders” nickname following a complaint that it is offensive to Muslims. The name, which dates back to the squadron’s missions over Gaza and Palestine during World War I, is now apparently considered inappropriate by the RAF’s leadership.
The decision came after a single RAF crew member lodged a complaint, claiming the term was insulting. Despite the nickname being a significant part of the squadron’s identity and history, crews have been ordered to remove any references to “Crusaders” from their hangar.
An aviator expressed frustration to the Mail on Sunday, stating, “If they’d have asked members of the squadron, rather than dictating this change, almost everyone would have been in favor of retaining ‘Crusaders,’ because it is so much part of our history. There was never any prejudice or malice in the name.”
RAF officials argue that the focus should be on upholding values that reflect the modern and diverse service.
An RAF spokesman stated, “As a modern and diverse service, our focus must be on not giving prominence to any offensive term that goes against the values of the Royal Air Force. Therefore, 14 Squadron have ceased using their historic unofficial nickname. The traditions and informal nicknames used by the RAF in the earlier days have a place in our history. However, some are no longer appropriate in the 21st Century.”
