Beloved British WWII vet who raised millions for COVID-19 response turns 100

[211RadOp]

Beloved British WWII vet who raised millions for COVID-19 response turns 100, gets a promotion

To celebrate his 100th birthday, Tom Moore appointed to Honorary Colonel as fighter jets flew overhead
Thomson Reuters · Posted: Apr 30, 2020 7:05 AM ET | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

British Second World War veteran captain Tom Moore, who has become a national hero after raising millions for the health service, celebrated his 100th birthday on Thursday with a promotion, military flypasts and a message from the prime minister.

Earlier this month, Moore began his fundraising mission for charities that help front-line National Health Service staff battling the COVID-19 crisis by completing laps of his garden with the help of a walking frame, initially setting out to raise just 1,000 pounds.

As he celebrated his centenary, the amount he raised topped 30 million pounds ($52 million Cdn), the Guinness World Record for the most money raised by an individual through a walk.

He has also become the oldest person to notch a number-one single on Britain's main music chart, having been featured on a cover version of You'll Never Walk Alone, with his endeavours winning the hearts and admiration of the public at home and across the world.

To celebrate his birthday, Moore was appointed the first Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College, based near the town where he grew up, a position that came with the approval of Queen Elizabeth, the defence ministry said.

He has also been re-presented with his Second World War Defence Medal, which he had lost.

More at link

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/beloved-british-wwii-vet-who-raised-millions-for-covid-19-response-turns-100-gets-a-promotion-1.5550303

Edit for formatting

 

[daftandbarmy]

I like how he 'braced up' in his chair when the CO saluted him...

.... you can take the soldier out of the Army but you can't take the Army out of the soldier

 

[PMedMoe]

Happy birthday, Sir!

 

[Blackadder1916]

https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-commissions-captain-toms-war

ITV commissions Captain Tom’s War

Published: Thu 23 Apr 2020

Captain Tom Moore, Britain’s new national treasure, will tell the story of his part in World War II for a new ITV documentary to be shown on VE Day.

The former British Army Officer who raised more than £28million for the NHS by walking 100 lengths of his garden with his frame, actually fought in Burma and shares his memories of the conflict to draw attention to the “forgotten war” on the occasion.

Airing just a week after his own centenary celebrations, in this new 1x30 programme, Captain Tom's War, produced by North One Television, Tom looks back on his time during the War in the brutal Burma campaign, as a million Allied troops from 40 nations attempted to repel the invading forces of Imperial Japan from the British colony over almost three years, between 1941 and 1944.

Captain Tom honours the soldiers who fought in what has since become known, with so much focus on the European battlefront and on VE Day, as 'The Forgotten War’, which finally came to an end in August 1945.

The fact the Burma campaign, fought in what is now known as Myanmar, remains relatively unknown is an issue for the Yorkshireman, which is why he committed to redressing the balance by making the programme.

Captain Tom’s War will also feature Tom’s daughters, Lucy and Hannah, who reveal family photos from their trip back to Burma.

Captain Tom entered officer training in 1940 at the age of 20, going on to serve in India before reaching Burma. There he was involved in the massive amphibious assault on Arakan, the instrumental part of recapturing the colony, before pushing on with his troops to the capital, Rangoon.

Produced by North One, and airing on Friday May 8 at 8pm, this 30-minute documentary is produced by James Woodroffe and executive produced by Neil Duncanson and Steve Gowan.

The commissioner is ITV's Controller of Current Affairs Tom Giles, who says: "Captain Tom’s War will shed light on a campaign which comparatively goes unmentioned but in which our troops suffered unthinkable hardship and tens of thousands of British soldiers fought and died. Hearing this from Captain Tom Moore, who fought in Burma, means we will find out a lot more about the man who has done so much to raise our spirits at this time and the experience he and many others faced during World War Two on an occasion when we rightly come together to thank them for their sacrifice.”

 

[daftandbarmy]

That's 'Sir Tom' to you lot

Coronavirus: Captain Tom Moore awarded knighthood for NHS fundraising

Captain Tom Moore is to be knighted for his fundraising efforts after a special nomination from the prime minister.

The war veteran raised more than £32m for NHS charities by completing 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday in April.

Boris Johnson said the centenarian had provided the country with "a beacon of light through the fog of coronavirus."

As an honorary colonel, his official title will be Captain Sir Thomas Moore under Ministry of Defence protocol.

The knighthood, which has been approved by the Queen, will be formally announced on Wednesday.

Capt Tom, who was given the honorary title of colonel on his 100th birthday, had initially set out to raise £1,000 for NHS charities by walking laps of the 25-m (82ft) loop in his garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.

But he eventually raised £32,794,701 from more than one and a half million supporters.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-52732300

 

[Blackadder1916]

A sad outcome.

Capt. Sir Tom Moore, who raised millions to fight pandemic, dead at 100 after positive COVID-19 test

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/captain-tom-moore-obit-1.5897602

Capt. Sir Tom Moore, who raised millions to fight pandemic, dead at 100 after positive COVID-19 test

U.K. Second World War veteran who became an emblem of hope by walking in his garden was hospitalized Sunday

Capt. Sir Tom Moore, the Second World War veteran who walked into the hearts of a nation in lockdown as he shuffled up and down his garden to raise money for health-care workers, has died after testing positive for COVID-19. He was 100.

His family announced his death on Twitter, posting a picture of him behind his walker in a happy moment, ready for an adventure.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore," the family's statement said.

Moore's daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, announced on Sunday that her father had been hospitalized with COVID-19 and said he needed "additional help" with his breathing. She said that Moore had been treated for pneumonia and had tested positive for COVID-19 last month.

"The last year of our father's life was nothing short of remarkable," Tuesday's statement read. "He was rejuvenated and experienced things he'd only ever dreamed of. Whilst he'd been in so many hearts for just a short time, he was an incredible father and grandfather, and he will stay alive in our hearts forever."

Flags were lowered at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Downing Street office Tuesday. The British leader described Moore as a "hero in the truest sense of the word."

. . .

 

[Good2Golf]

RIP good sir.

 

[CBH99]

Absolute gem of a human being. Thank You on behalf of everybody just for being here with us while you were

 

[lenaitch]

Acts of selflessness, many decades apart.

 

[Weinie]

Acts of selflessness, many decades apart.

They were the greatest generation.