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Captain Sir Tom Moore has died in hospital with covid-19

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Original post by jackmarshal757
Fought in the Second World War, took part in the D-Day invasion


Thought he was in Burma in the Far East - "The Forgotten 14th Army" as it was known. In his memoirs he states as a dispatch rider, used in that theatre of operations more often than not as radio reception was very patchy and phone lines were vunerable to being tapped or cut, they were given cyanide tablets as suicide was deemed preferable to being captured and tortured by the Japanese.
A remarkable man from an equally remarkable generation who like my own father, were so modest and self effacing about their ordeals.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by MatureStudent37
That was the great work he did in his twenties I was alluding to.

Sadly, as that generation passes I feel sad that a generation we owed so much to, with so many interesting personal testimonials go.

I’m older than most I here I guess, but I remember as a young nipper that the war generation vividly. Their Ameche of justice, community and sacrifice was amazing. Ranging from the old boy opposite who tended his front garden with care, to getting a clip around the ear from my Nan for taunting the odd lily fessed and behaved guy who lived at the end of the road. I was belted by my Nan as she explained he behaved oddly because he’s been a prisoner of war and had been very badly treated .

:frown: Touche. Fully agree.
I tried very hard to get my father to open up about his wartime experiences ( North Africa, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Greece) but apart from a few snippets very little " just be thankful you have never been in any, that's all" although he did a little towards the end of his life : " I can remember them as if it were yesterday, passing like ghosts before my eyes, the lads that never made it back" and "I'm not sure where it is we go to when we do, but one thing I do know, going to hell has no worries for me - I've already been there".

I have learnt more from my own research and his service records, and once the Kew records office opens again when time allows intend resarching the unit's war diaries which are available for public scrutiny.

Like yourself, my formative years were spent amongst these guys then middle aged, and what struck me was just how modest and matter of fact they were about it all, almost to the point of self denial.
And as I have said in other posts, it is often overlooked that it was less than one generation on from when their own fathers had endured the horrors of the likes of the Somme.

Incidentally he always spoke well of the Americans and had no truck with any griping about them (his unit had a glowing citation from the American General Truscott, a highly capable but modest one) when they were attached to the American 5th Army in Italy " people can say what they want as far as I'm concerned, but whatever the disagreements and shenanigans were at higher level, in fact I have been shelled by them in error ( friendly fire in today's parlance) more than once, I never met an ungenerous one- brash and curt maybe - however they certainly treated us well, the ones we had with us".
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Megacent
Kind of agree. I think we should be able to criticize something he did while also recognizing the huge contribution he has made to morale this year. Captain Tom has captured the nations heart but that doesn't mean he's perfect, nobody is. He will have his faults like anybody else and I think that should be fair game for discussion. Should he gone to Barbados? I can understand why he did, at that age you don't know how long you have left and if there's stuff you really want to do then you might want to do it sooner rather than later. But that discussion probably isn't appropriate for this thread.

Hope he gets better


Original post by jackmarshal757
Yes he went on a trip to Barbados, you have a right to criticise. It was a bucket list trip for a man who was 100 years old and had fought and died for this country, in my opinion it’s the least that he can be awarded

It was basically last month, in December? I mean there WAS a lockdown and travel ban then.
Original post by GodAtum
It was basically last month, in December? I mean there WAS a lockdown and travel ban then.

Actually there wasn't, we weren't under a lockdown or travel ban when he travelled.
Original post by GodAtum
It was basically last month, in December? I mean there WAS a lockdown and travel ban then.

Captain Moore and his family would not have knowingly broken any laws. They are the kind of people who put the health of others above their own.

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