Arise, Sir Tom: veteran hopes queen is not ‘heavy’ with the sword

LONDON (Reuters) – Captain Tom Moore, who became a national hero in Britain after raising more than 33 million pounds ($40 million) for the National Health Service in the run-up to his 100th birthday, is to be knighted.

FILE PHOTO: Former British Army Officer Captain Tom Moore looks at a spitfire and hurricane from RAF Coningsby that fly over his house as part of celebration of his 100th birthday and a gesture of appreciation for his fundraising achievements for the NHS, in Bedfordshire, Britain, April 30, 2020. Emma Sohl/Capture the Light Photography/Handout via REUTERS

Moore becomes “Sir Tom” after a special nomination from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The World War Two veteran raised the record sum by painstakingly completing 100 laps of his garden with the aid of a walking frame, becoming a symbol of British endurance in the face of the adversity of the coronavirus crisis.

Moore said it was an outstanding honour and that he was looking forward to meeting Queen Elizabeth, 94.

“I hope she’s not very heavy handed with the sword,” Moore said. “By then I might be rather a poor old weak soul.”

A knighthood is bestowed by the monarch tapping a sword on the recipient’s shoulders.

Asked what he will tell the queen, Moore said: “Any discussion between me and the queen will have to be kept secret.”

Last month he quipped that he would find it funny to be known as “Sir Thomas Moore” – a reference to the Tudor statesman Sir Thomas More.

“I am overawed by the fact that this has happened to me,” he said. The honour is the latest bestowed on Moore. For his 100th birthday last month, he was made an honorary colonel and an honorary member of the England cricket team.

SMILE AND BE KIND

Johnson said Moore had inspired the country and provided “a beacon of light through the fog of coronavirus”.

“On behalf of everyone who has been moved by his incredible story, I want to say a huge ‘thank you’. He’s a true national treasure,” Johnson said.

Raised in Yorkshire, northern England, Moore served in India, Burma and Sumatra during World War Two.

His walking achievement, which came amid a soaring COVID-19 UK death toll that now is above 43,000, won the hearts of many in Britain and beyond.

FILE PHOTO: Former British Army Officer Captain Tom Moore, appointed the first Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, holds his Yorkshire Regiment Medal next Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Miller in Bedford, Britain April 29, 2020. UK Ministry of Defence/ Crown Copyright 2020/Handout via REUTERS

He urged young people to look forward with hope.

“There’s a future for everyone,” he said. “Give everybody a little smile and see if they’ll smile back.”

“You have got to look forward to the fact that things will improve as they always do: things will get better and we will have a lovely golden sky and hear the larks singing again beautifully,” he said.

Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by William James, Guy Faulconbridge and Giles Elgood

Products You May Like

Articles You May Like

Prepare to study in Canada
Study permit: Who can apply
Alberta Tourism and Hospitality Stream Sees High Applicant Numbers
Canada Issues 1,980 Express Entry Invitations to Apply Under General Category
Canada Issues 1,500 Express Entry Invitations to Apply For French-Language Speakers
Ontario to Reserve 96 Per Cent of Foreign Student Applications to its Public Colleges and Universities
Canada Saw Job Vacancies Fall Again In Previous Quarter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *