WWII plane flypast marks Capt. Tom Moore's funeral
A World War II-era plane has flown over the funeral service of Captain Tom Moore, in honor of the veteran who single-handedly raised millions of pounds for Britain’s health workers by walking laps in his backyard
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A World War II-era plane flew Saturday over the funeral service of Captain Tom Moore, in honor of the veteran who single-handedly raised millions of pounds for Britain's health workers by walking laps in his backyard.
Soldiers performed ceremonial duties at the service for the 100-year-old, whose charity walk inspired the nation and raised almost 33 million pounds ($46 million). Captain Tom, as he became known, died Feb. 2 in the hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.
Just eight members of the veteran's immediate family attended Saturday's private service, but soldiers carried his coffin to a crematorium and formed a ceremonial guard. The family has 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 to be played at the funeral.
Moore, who served in India, Burma and Sumatra during WWII, set out to raise a modest 1,000 pounds for Britain’s National Health Service by walking 100 laps of his backyard by his 100th birthday. But his quest went viral, catching the imagination of millions stuck at home during the first wave of the pandemic.
His positive attitude — “Please always remember, tomorrow will be a good day” became his trademark phrase — inspired the nation at a time of crisis, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson described him as a “hero in the truest sense of the word.″
He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in July in a socially distanced ceremony at Windsor Castle, west of London.