In a time when the nation was gripped by fear, panic, chaos and uncertainty, there came a beacon of hope, a man who truly united our country, a national hero and someone who will be eternally remembered; Captain Sir Tom Moore.
A Second World War veteran stationed first in Bombay and then Calcutta after being posted there with the 146th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps, he was promoted to a war substantive lieutenant in late 1942 and then served in Burma as part of the Fourteenth Army, better known as the ‘Forgotten Army’. He was promoted to Captain in 1944 and, after leaving the British Army, he pursued his love of motorcycle racing, which he was rather successful at, winning several competitions in Yorkshire, near his hometown of Keighley. Building up his own company, he made a great success of his post-Army life, although the closest he came to real fame was when he appeared on the 1983 Christmas special of the TV gameshow, Blankety Blank, hosted by Terry Wogan.
As the pandemic began to grip the nation in the Spring of 2020, this man with an already incredible life story went truly above and beyond. Intending to raise just £1000 for NHS Charities Together by his 100th birthday, his aim was to walk 100 lengths of his 27-yard-long garden. However, when his family set up a JustGiving page they couldn’t have predicted what would happen next! People across the globe rallied around Captain Tom and were taken aback by the selflessness and love shown by this incredible man.
In mere days, his target had been smashed and by the time of his 100th birthday, over £30 million had been garnered through donations from everyone from members of the public, MPs, celebrities, footballers and more. Inspiring the nation during one of our toughest times, he deservedly won the Pride of Britain Award 2020, was promoted to an Honorary Colonel, had a Number 1 single, and received a fly-past from the RAF to mark his centenary birthday, all whilst being hailed by almost every newspaper, radio station and TV channel around the country.
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, recognised Captain Tom’s achievement and dedication to such a fantastic cause and nominated him for a Knighthood, which he received from Her Majesty the Queen herself in a small, outdoor ceremony in the Summer with his family present. He set up his own charity, the Captain Tom Foundation which aims to combat loneliness, champion education and equality, and continue support for the NHS.
This war hero’s love, dedication and desire to make the world a better place will be forever remembered in the hearts of not just the British people but in those around the world. ‘Tomorrow will be a good day’ was the phrase he often used and he always kept a positive outlook on life throughout tough times, instilling us with hope and a belief that we can get through this together and, eventually, we will.