Happy birthday Captain Tom.

Around Britain, people have been wishing a happy hundredth birthday today to Captain Tom Moore, who epitomises the way people in Britain came together to help one another through the COVID-19 pandemic

It began when this 99-year old WW2 war veteran decided to raise a thousands pounds by walking a hundred times round his garden to raise money for local NHS charities as a thank you for the NHS.

Because thi toughed the hearts of millions of people, as of this morning he had raised nearly thirty million pounds, and inspired a number one hit version of "You'll never walk alone."

He has received more than a hundred and twenty-five thousand birthday cards for his hundredth birthday. including one from M.M. the Queen, who has also promoted him to Honorary Colonel.

Here is one of the many tributes to him - and to NHS workers and carers - you can find on YouTube.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Captain Tom Moore is a good news story and well done him. One little point that may appear picky but this a Conservative leaning blog so we ought to observe a bit of convention. Captain Moore's rank is still Captain because he has been appointed, not promoted, to the position of Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College. Just as the Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria isn't enobled simply by being appointed to the role.
12:09 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
Don't see, to be honest, what my politics have to do with this point.

His substantive rank is still Captain, but by honouring him with the appointment as an Honorary colonel Her Majesty has raised his status to Colonel for ceremonial purposes.

To quibble about the description of this as a promotion is nit-picking of the highest order.

9:40 pm
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