Sword placed on Captain Sir Tom Moore’s coffin will go on display at Yorkshire museum

The sword placed on Captain Sir Tom Moore‘s coffin inscribed with the badge of his old unit, the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, will go on display at a Yorkshire museum.

The specially-commissioned blade appeared on the casket alongside the union flag, Cpt Sir Tom’s war medals and his knighthood medal during the funeral last month. 

Beneath his name is Yorkshire regimental motto, ‘Fortune Favours the Brave’, while the other side shows the veteran’s own famous words: ‘Tomorrow will be a good day’.

Captain Sir Tom Moore’s funeral was held on February 27 after the NHS fundraising hero died earlier in the month

A specially-commissioned sword appeared on the 100-year-old's casket alongside the union flag, his war medals and his knighthood medal

A specially-commissioned sword appeared on the 100-year-old’s casket alongside the union flag, his war medals and his knighthood medal

The sword was crafted by Pooley Sword, a traditional cutler and provider of swords, dirks, and lances to the British armed forces and Commonwealth nations.

Following the funeral on February 27, Pooley Sword donated the blade to the Yorkshire Regiment, which has now offered it to the York Army Museum.

Museum officials intend to make the item the centrepiece of a brand new display paying tribute to Cpt Sir Tom, who raised £33m for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden.

Members of the Armed Forces carried Captain Sir Tom Moore's coffin at Bedford Crematorium on February 27,  a specially commissioned was laid atop the casket

Members of the Armed Forces carried Captain Sir Tom Moore’s coffin at Bedford Crematorium on February 27,  a specially commissioned was laid atop the casket

Following the funeral on February 27, Pooley Sword donated the blade to the Yorkshire Regiment, which has now offered it to the York Army Museum

Following the funeral on February 27, Pooley Sword donated the blade to the Yorkshire Regiment, which has now offered it to the York Army Museum

Museum officials intend to make the item the centrepiece of a brand new display in honour of the 100-year-old, who raised £33million for the NHS

Museum officials intend to make the item the centrepiece of a brand new display in honour of the 100-year-old, who raised £33million for the NHS

The veteran, who died in Bedford on February 2, was raised in Keighley, West Yorkshire and frequently spoke fondly of his affinity for Yorkshire.

Robert Pooley MBE, Managing Director of Pooley Sword, said: ‘To be asked to prepare a sword for such a distinguished gentleman as Captain Sir Tom Moore, it was a great honour and privilege.

‘All our staff completed this sword with great pride and enthusiasm.’

The 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, provided pallbearers for the funeral with recruits from Harrogate’s Army Foundation College forming an honour guard.

Major Lee Wildey, who led the funeral party and delivered the sword to the museum, said: ‘It was a moving and very fitting tribute for such an inspirational man.

‘For me especially, it was a privilege to command the soldiers from 1 YORKS and there was no shortage of men volunteering to be part of the bearer party.’

The sword is inscribed with Captain Sir Tom Moore's phrase 'Tomorrow will be a good day'

It is also inscribed with the motto of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment

Beneath his name is Yorkshire regimental motto, ‘Fortune Favours the Brave’, while the other side shows the veteran’s own famous words: ‘Tomorrow will be a good day’

The veteran, who died in Bedford on February 2, was raised in Keighley, West Yorkshire and frequently spoke fondly of his affinity for Yorkshire

The veteran, who died in Bedford on February 2, was raised in Keighley, West Yorkshire and frequently spoke fondly of his affinity for Yorkshire

Captain Sir Tom captured the country's hearts last year when he walked 100 laps of his garden, raising millions of pounds for the NHS

Captain Sir Tom captured the country’s hearts last year when he walked 100 laps of his garden, raising millions of pounds for the NHS 

Lieutenant Colonel David O’Kelly, the YORKS Regimental Secretary, said: ‘As a regiment, we were there when Capt Tom completed his final laps, on his 100th birthday, and sadly, at his funeral.

‘The sword will be featured [as an exhibit] when the museum re-opens.’

Second World War veteran Cpt Sir Tom Moore stole the nation’s heart in lockdown by raising tens of millions of pounds for the NHS by walking around his garden with his zimmer frame.

He was knighted for his efforts by the Queen at Windsor Castle last July.

Earlier in his life, Cpt Sir Tom served in India and the Burma campaign during the Second World War, and later became an instructor in armoured warfare.

After the war, he worked as managing director of a concrete company and was an avid motorcycle racer.

How Captain Sir Tom’s heroic actions boosted Britain amid lockdown 

Sir Captain Tom Moore hoped to raise £1,000 for the NHS, but ended up capturing the hearts of the nation. 

Here’s how 100 laps around his garden became a knighthood…

April 2020 The army veteran begins fundraising in the hope of raising £1,000 for the NHS amid the coronavirus pandemic. He wants to walk 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday on April 30.  

April 14 More than £2million is donated.

April 15 The total rises to £7million as more than 340,000 people show their support. 

April 16  He completes his 100 laps – meaning he walked an average of six laps a day – and reveals he’s going to keep going to raise as much as possible. Both the Prime Minister and the Royal Family congratulate him. 

April 24  Sir Captain Tom is the oldest person ever to reach Number One in the Top 40 Charts with his cover of You’ll Never Walk Alone. He performs it alongside singer Michael Ball and The NHS Voices of Care Choir.

April 30 The fundraising page hits £32million on his 100th birthday. He is made an honorary colonel and enjoys a military flypast. 

July 17 The Queen awards him a knighthood in a special engagement.

September He writes bestselling autobiography Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day and signs a deal to film a biopic of his life. 

October 5 – Captain Tom starts a podcast to tackle isolation among Britain’s elderly. 

December  He ticks a holiday to Barbados off his bucket list. 

January 31, 2021 He is admitted to hospital amid an intense battle with pneumonia, his family reveal. 

February 2, 2021 Sir Captain Tom’s death is announced days after he tests positive for coronavirus.