Europe

Military flypast and guard of honour at the funeral of Covid hero Captain Tom Moore

Second World War veteran tried to raise £1,000 and ended up raising £33 million ($46m)

Simon Rushton
Simon Rushton

February 27, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The funeral of fundraising hero Captain Tom Moore was held in England with a Second World War plane flying overhead.

His coffin was draped in the Union flag with his military campaign medals, his knighthood medal and a replica of his Second World War service cap placed on top.

A 14-strong guard of honour fired three volleys at the service for the centenarian, who died of Covid-19 months after raising more than £33 million ($46m) for charity.

“You always told us to put your best foot forward and that’s what you did last year,” one of his daughters, Lucy Teixeira, said during the ceremony.

Soldiers from the British Army’s Yorkshire Regiment carry the coffin of Captain Tom Moore during his funeral service in Bedford, south-east England. AFP
Soldiers from the British Army’s Yorkshire Regiment carry the coffin of Captain Tom Moore during his funeral service in Bedford, south-east England. AFP
Captain Tom Moore died on February 3, after becoming a hero for his extraordinary fundraising efforts during the pandemic. AFP
Captain Tom Moore died on February 3, after becoming a hero for his extraordinary fundraising efforts during the pandemic. AFP
Moore’s son-in-law Colin Ingram, granddaughter Georgia, grandson Benjie and daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore arrive for the funeral. AFP
Moore’s son-in-law Colin Ingram, granddaughter Georgia, grandson Benjie and daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore arrive for the funeral. AFP
The coffin was draped in the Union flag and his Second World War medals were placed on top. AFP
The coffin was draped in the Union flag and his Second World War medals were placed on top. AFP
He wanted to raise £1,000 and ended up raising £33 million, or $46m. AFP
He wanted to raise £1,000 and ended up raising £33 million, or $46m. AFP
A Dakota plane flies past during the funeral service. AFP
A Dakota plane flies past during the funeral service. AFP
Soldiers from the British Army’s Yorkshire Regiment attend the funeral. AFP
Soldiers from the British Army’s Yorkshire Regiment attend the funeral. AFP
The order of service booklet for the funeral. AFP
The order of service booklet for the funeral. AFP

Captain Tom, as he was known, captured the nation’s hearts by starting a sponsored walk, to try to complete 100 lengths of his garden.

He needed a mobility frame to help him and set a target of raising £1,000 for Britain’s National Health Service. He raised £33 million ($46 million).

As his fundraising took off, he reached number 1 in the UK charts with a cover of You'll Never Walk Alone with Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care Choir.

And he became Sir Tom when he was knighted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in July.

Read More

Just eight members of the veteran’s immediate family attended Saturday’s private service, but soldiers carried his coffin to the crematorium and formed a ceremonial guard.

The family urged well-wishers to stay at home as the country remains in lockdown.

A version of the song Smile, recorded by singer Michael Buble, was played at the funeral.

A bugler sounded The Last Post to end the service in St Mary's Church in Marston Moretaine, Captain Tom's home village. Churches across the country also rang their bells 100 times.

Capt Moore, who served in India, Burma and Sumatra during WW2, was born in Keighley, Yorkshire, and his family have said that once Covid-19 restrictions allow, his ashes will be interred in the county.

The lowdown

Badla

Rating: 2.5/5

Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment 

Director: Sujoy Ghosh

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke

How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

While you're here
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk

“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”

“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”

“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”

“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

The specs

Price, base: Dh228,000 / Dh232,000 (est)
Engine: 5.7-litre Hemi V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 552Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.5L / 100km

MATCH INFO

Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:

Al Ain 2 Al Duhail 4

Second leg:

Tuesday, Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha. Kick off 7.30pm

Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

BMW%20M4%20Competition
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.0%20twin-turbo%20inline%20six-cylinder%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20eight-speed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E503hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20600Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20from%20Dh617%2C600%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UKEuropeCoronavirus