Arise Sir Tom: Queen Elizabeth knights 100-year-old fundraising captain

By Paul Childs

 

Britain's Queen Elizabeth awards Captain Tom Moore with the insignia of Knight Bachelor at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain July 17, 2020. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS

 

WINDSOR, England (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth knighted Captain Tom Moore on Friday, recognising the 100-year-old for lifting Britain's spirits during the gloom of the coronavirus pandemic by raising millions of pounds for health workers.

 

The World War Two veteran raised a record 33 million pounds ($41 million) by walking 100 laps of his garden with the aid of a walking frame in April in the run-up to his landmark birthday.

 

At an open-air investiture at Windsor Castle, the 94-year-old queen smiled as she dubbed Moore on both shoulders with her knighting sword, which previously belonged to her father, George VI.

 

Moore, in a dark suit, stood holding onto a wheeled walking frame.

 

"Thank you very much," Moore told the queen.

 

"Wonderful," the queen said, before greeting Moore's family. "What an amazing amount of money you have raised."

 

The Yorkshireman became a symbol of British endurance in the face of the adversity of the coronavirus crisis and cheered many with his promise that "the sun will shine again".

 

"I could never have imagined this would happen to me," Moore said in a message posted on Twitter before received the ancient accolade.

 

"It is such a huge honour and I am very much looking forward to meeting Her Majesty The Queen. It is going to be the most special of days for me."

 

Moore, who served in India, Burma and Sumatra during World War Two, quipped earlier this year that having a knighthood would be funny because he would be Sir Thomas Moore - a reference to the Tudor statesman Sir Thomas More.

 

The monarch has been sheltering at Windsor Castle, the oldest permanently inhabited castle in the world, since March.

 

Other investitures have been postponed because of the coronavirus and Moore's knighthood was one of the first official duties the queen has carried out since the coronavirus lockdown.

 

(Writing by Paul Sandle and Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Janet Lawrence and Andrew Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-18

 

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What a great photo of 2 people with good news for a change .. 

Very happy for you Sir Tom, you are 1 of the hero generation, and now at 100 years old still a hero..... Respect.

A brave soldier.

 

Kohima (Burma) Epitaph.

 

"When you go home

Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

We gave our today."

Edited July 17, 20205 yr by Odysseus123

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

Very happy for you Sir Tom, you are 1 of the hero generation, and now at 100 years old still a hero..... Respect.

Listen to any of his interviews and he is remarkably alert for someone of that age but the overriding thing that comes across is still his sense of duty and dedication to the country .. a most humble and unselfish man that we don't see enough of now  ..  

God bless both of them 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

"the sun will shine again"

Thank you Sir Tom, your dedication, selflessness & perseverance are much appreciated.

 

 

           Mutual Respect.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Arise Sir Tom: Queen Elizabeth knights 100-year-old fundraising captain

 

Reminds us that, whatever our circumstances....we all have the ability to leave the world a better place through spirit, determination, and strength of character. Well done, Sir Tom.  

 

 

   

Edited July 18, 20205 yr by Hayduke

Well done. Arise sir Tom. There can be few that are more deserving.

A truly amazing amount raised for the National Health Service and a well deserved Knighthood for a Sir Tom made even more special by a private ceremony at Windsor by our Great Queen Elizabeth II.

Sir Tom does, of course, deserve this accolade and all the others he has received for his achievement.

 

But others who have achieved as much, if not more, seem to be ignored. I'm thinking of 5 year old Tony Hudgell in particular. Abused by his natural parents whilst a baby so much that both legs had to be amputated yet whose 10km walk raised over £1m for the hospital that saved his life.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"I could never have imagined this would happen to me," Moore said in a message posted on Twitter before received the ancient accolade.

"It is such a huge honour and I am very much looking forward to meeting Her Majesty The Queen. It is going to be the most special of days for me."

A beautiful Twitter post, humble, uplifting and coherent. Some other Twitterers should learn from his example.

8 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

           Mutual Respect.

Fantastic people both of them. Long live the Queen and Sir Tom. This is so refreshing to see this picture in the misery the world is in. 

Isn't it funny: 2 old people playing Games.....????

Looks like back to Kindergarten times ????????????

Two fantastic human beings face to face! A one-of-kind true leader and a war hero! What a wonderful picture in this year of doom and gloom! Three hoorays!

1 hour ago, sawadee1947 said:

Isn't it funny: 2 old people playing Games.....????

Looks like back to Kindergarten times ????????????

Says a bitter Irishman

3 hours ago, 7by7 said:

Sir Tom does, of course, deserve this accolade and all the others he has received for his achievement.

 

But others who have achieved as much, if not more, seem to be ignored. I'm thinking of 5 year old Tony Hudgell in particular. Abused by his natural parents whilst a baby so much that both legs had to be amputated yet whose 10km walk raised over £1m for the hospital that saved his life.

 

 

 

You state that Tony Hudgell has been ignored......................then you go on to post a BBC report of his achievements, showing that he wasnt ignored 

Well done - Sir Tom:-

 

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

What on earth are you on about. This has nothing to do with politics or climate change. An old lady is knighting an old man. Both have shared many of the same life changing experiences in the world and by the looks of it both are chuffed.

 

Just say well done, well deserved and leave it be.

5 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

8 hours ago, 7by7 said:

Sir Tom does, of course, deserve this accolade and all the others he has received for his achievement.

 

But others who have achieved as much, if not more, seem to be ignored. I'm thinking of 5 year old Tony Hudgell in particular. Abused by his natural parents whilst a baby so much that both legs had to be amputated yet whose 10km walk raised over £1m for the hospital that saved his life.

 

 

 

You state that Tony Hudgell has been ignored......................then you go on to post a BBC report of his achievements, showing that he wasnt ignored 

 

Ignored by those handing out gongs and official accolades is what I meant.

 

Which I thought was obvious from the context. Apparently not for some.

 

1 minute ago, 7by7 said:

 

Ignored by those handing out gongs and official accolades is what I meant.

 

Which I thought was obvious from the context. Apparently not for some.

 

So, you would want a five year old to get a knighthood as well ?

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

So, you would want a five year old to get a knighthood as well ?

 

Why not? As far as I am aware there is no minimum age for receiving that or any other honour.

2 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

 

Why not? As far as I am aware there is no minimum age for receiving that or any other honour.

Fair enough, but a bit off topic 

Congrats to a real hero.  His commander in chief and fellow knight of the realm would have been proud. 

 

 

9 hours ago, Anant72 said:

Two fantastic human beings face to face! A one-of-kind true leader and a war hero! What a wonderful picture in this year of doom and gloom! Three hoorays!

I like your sarcasm! ????

Well done Sir Tom and Her Majesty. The cynics on here are just envious.

17 hours ago, 7by7 said:

Sir Tom does, of course, deserve this accolade and all the others he has received for his achievement.

 

But others who have achieved as much, if not more, seem to be ignored. I'm thinking of 5 year old Tony Hudgell in particular. Abused by his natural parents whilst a baby so much that both legs had to be amputated yet whose 10km walk raised over £1m for the hospital that saved his life.

 

 

 

Not everyone gets the recognition they deserve, that is true but I’m sure neither young Tony Hudgell and Sir Tom Moore did what they did for ‘recognition’.

 

 

They are both shining examples of public service, and who knows what the young lad will achieve in the future.

 

Sir Tom’s Knighthood assets the value of public service, that is a very good thing to reward and promote.

 

15 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

You state that Tony Hudgell has been ignored......................then you go on to post a BBC report of his achievements, showing that he wasnt ignored 

....dated 22 JUNE 2020 ie after the honors list in which Sir Tom's knighthood was published (& let's not forget the ⌛has nearly ran out for the latter!)

 

Had the Olympics or Euro ⚽ gone ahead this year the earliest any of them could expect similar recognition would be in the NY honors list & not to receive them before the spring of 2021.

Edited July 19, 20205 yr by evadgib