Captain Tom Moore ‘looking forward’ to being knighted by the Queen: ‘I hope she’s not very heavy-handed with the sword’

‘By then I might be rather a poor old weak soul,’ says centenarian

Captain Tom Moore has said he is “delighted” by the news that he will receive a knighthood for his heroic fundraising efforts.

The 100-year-old Second World War veteran was made an honorary colonel just weeks ago in recognition of the work he has done to raise almost £33m for charities supporting the NHS by walking laps of his Bedfordshire garden.

Now on the recommendation of the prime minister, he is also to be honoured by the Queen.

Speaking about the knighthood on BBC Breakfast, Sir Moore said he was looking forward to being knighted by HRH.

“I hope she’s not very heavy-handed with the sword as by then I might be rather a poor old weak soul,” he teased.

The centenarian went on to say that he walked the laps of his garden “with pleasure” and really enjoyed fundraising.

“It was absolutely, totally amazing because not only was it in this country but it seemed to go throughout the world,” he added.

“We got messages from I don’t know how many countries, it must have been something like 100 countries that wanted to have a word with me because of the sum that was being raised.

“It seemed to have raised the spirits of so many different countries, which was absolutely amazing and to me it was delightful.”

News of Captain Moore’s knighthood comes after it was announced that he would be releasing an autobiography in support of his new charity, the Captain Tom Foundation.

The centenarian’s autobiography is to be called Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day, words that he tweeted the day before his 100th birthday.

Captain Moore, who served in India, Burma and Sumatra during World War Two, had initially aimed to raise £1,000 by walking 100 laps of the garden of his Marston Moretain home before his 100th birthday.

But his campaign caught the imagination of the public during the early days of the coronavirus outbreak and he quickly saw his fundraising target rise to an eight-figure sum within days of his campaign beginning.

Since then he has received praise from heads of states, an RAF flypast and featured on a chart-topping song after performing alongside Michael Ball on You'll Never Walk Alone.