A century-old British Royal Air Force (RAF) squadron has had its name withdrawn following a formal complaint. 14 Squadron, a unit that flies reconnaissance planes, has had its name 'Crusaders' removed so as not to offend Muslims.
Formed during World War I, the unit flew fighter, reconnaissance and bombing aircraft in the Middle East, specifically Egypt, Palestine and Gaza. Their combat presence in the region gave them the unofficial name of Crusaders.
Over the years, the 14 Squadron it was deactivated and activated several times, having participated in combat actions in the Gulf and Iraq wars, using the Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber. In its latest renovation, it began operating Shadow R.1 turboprops, a military version of the Beechcraft Super King Air, used in reconnaissance, intelligence and target identification missions.
Almost 110 years after its participation in the Battle of Gaza, the unit had the Crusaders name removed. The RAF High Command accepted a complaint asking to end the use of the name, as it could be interpreted as offensive to Muslims because it was inspired by the Crusades, the military maneuvers that took place between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries that left Europe for “ Holly Land".
In a statement, an RAF spokesperson said the squadron's name does not fit with today's modern society.
“As a modern and diverse service, our focus must be not to highlight any offensive that go against the spirit of the Royal Air Force. Therefore, 14th Squadron stopped using its unofficial historical nickname. The traditions and informal nicknames used by the RAF in the early days of the service have a place in our history, however, some are no longer appropriate in the XNUMXst century.”
As noted by the Forces News, the RAF has been carrying out historical revisionism and it is possible that there will be even more similar changes.
The RAF's decision caused controversy. On X (formerly Twitter), the current leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, harshly criticized the removal of the Squadron's name. “I wonder if in Saudi Arabia they are adapting to our culture and lifestyle,” said the politician.
RAF woken up! pic.twitter.com/0szFiUzSTM
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) July 29, 2024
Although the Squadron's name has been removed, its motto will remain. This is a quote taken from the Quran, which says “I spread my wings and keep my promise.” The quote is also traditionally written in Arabic.
