This tradition of naming dates from WW2 when Lady Rachel MacRobert lost sons in RAF service. She first donated £25,000 for the purchase of a Stirling bomber which was named "MacRobert's Reply". Later, following the loss of her second son in the Middle East leading an attack by Hurricanes against a German airfield, she donated a further £20,000 to purchase 4 Hurricanes, one of which was called "The MacRobert Fighter - Sir Roderick". This title has now passed to a Typhoon of 6 Squadron.