R.I.P. Captain Sir Tom Moore

So sad, such a treasure.

I only wish he had the vaccine before he flew to Barbados. :-(

RIP, what a legacy he will leave.

There is a national clap for Captain Sir Tom at 6pm this evening. Glad that he has been recognised in this way.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55917475

I'm not angry, as his fundraising idea was good and any money raised for the NHS is well-deserved, but I do think that he was rather over-lauded when so many people fundraise for good causes just because they want to help and don't get anywhere near that kind of publicity.

My reason for not clapping tonight is because I learned from this thread that he went on holiday to Barbados over Christmas. In the current circumstances that was both irresponsible and disrespectful to those he was raising money for, and putting others at risk. The fact it was always probably going to be his last holiday and a bucket list trip is irrelevant. So many people haven't had that option, so the fact he (or his family) chose to do it is galling and has lost my respect.

I will be sitting inside at 6pm quietly remembering all those who have died in this pandemic without having fancy holidays or loved ones with them at the end instead.

Oh thank God...someone finally said it.

I mean who takes a 100 year old man on a 9 hour flight to a country where the temperature is 30 degrees different to the one they are used to in the middle of a global pandemic and doesn't think it is a complete recipe for disaster.

I don't know who to be angrier at, the family or British Airways who apparently offered them the trip in the first place no doubt as some kind of promo stunt.

The only time I'll start clapping is when people regain their senses and call this what it is, gross negligence on behalf of ALL the people involved. 

It is very British to like their spirits lifted with a good news story in times of desperation and Captain Sir Tom Moore was the perfect conduit for this.

I thought it was dreadful he got a knighthood when there were a lot more people more deserving. I mean for walking up and down the garden a hundred times.

I also agree it is very selfish he went to Barbados, in the current circumstances. No different to that hideous Rita Ora.

Rita Ora. Do. Not. Get. Me. Started.

I am very saddened to read some of the comments on this thread about Captain Sir Tom Moore and his family:

1/ He and his family didn’t openly court publicity, but of course the Radio 2 and BBC Breakfast appearances started the ball rolling, and things took over from there. As far as I can see, they only used the publicity for good things – to thank the NHS staff and raise monies through interviews, then the book and single.

2/ Of course, putting themselves in the public arena means that some people think they have the right to comment on them, and some of the comments here are grossly unfair and disrespectful.

3/ I genuinely belief that the clap this evening was out of respect for him. We can all mark our respect for him and others our own way also. But I am no supporter of Boris, and it is a shame that his life and death may have become politicised to the cynical amongst us. If you want to have a go at the government (and I’d happily join in), there are other threads to do that.

4/ The Barbados trip was courtesy of British Airways and Barbados Tourism as a thank you to him. It was taken before the travel restrictions were imposed. So entirely legal and not comparable to Rita Ora or others who have actually broken the rules. (Sure, Rita Ora can probably sing better than him).

5/ I am sure the family thought carefully about it, and no doubt they had many other offers which they may have turned down. They have never sought to benefit themselves.

6/ He certainly did not merely walk up and down 100 times. He understood what it was to be an inspiration to others, tackle loneliness and use his voice to give hope. Of course many people have done great work and not been knighted.

He was the right man, at the right time and in the right place, and certainly to me is the epitome of a modern day hero. No, he is not perfect, he’s human but an inspiration to me and many others.

So surprisingly the government can be bothered to care about someone's death.

One out of 100 thousand plus ain't bad I suppose.

He was a sweetheart, but vulnerable. When I say that - I mean his publicist daughter taking advantage of him. So yes. I have more of an issue with his family and it doesn’t sit right with me. I feel like they did it more for them and not with his best interests in mind. If my grandad was still here, I would NEVER, in a million years fly him abroad in a pandemic. It’s selfish and it is double standards. And if you even try to argue with me on this - you’re ignorant. I would never put my family member at risk to jet abroad; I appreciate the rules were different before lockdown 3:0 but my stance is pretty clear. My condolences to them, but also to all those other families who have lost loved ones during this horrible time. That’s all I’m going to say now on this thread, have a nice evening.

It is no coincidence that he travelled 18 - 20 hours at 100 years old and dropped dead. So going on holiday has put an extra burden on the organisation he purported to support.

Maybe he should’ve walked up and down his balcony 100 times.

This along with the flight itself is what really gets me. I mean do people not know how taxing long haul flying is on the human body, let alone on a 100 year old man?

I am 50 and I travel a lot and nearly always get some kind of illness (usually minor) after long flights and temperature changes and I am 110kgs of muscle and very healthy.

I am disgusted the most by British Airways as they were obviously using him as promo to say 'see everyone it's safe, just jump on a plane and travel again' and it backfired at the cost of this poor mans life.

I don't think anyone here is blaming him and I don't think the thread has turned out badly. 

It's the only factual discussion I have seen on the matter on the entire internet x

Frnak Mills didn't fight in a war so his fundraising won't catch on. But he is white and male...

I have respect for him and what he did, of course. Just found it interesting, that the press spinned it like that. I remember in the beginning they made quite a song and dance about, how he shielded because of his age etc. and now they merely noted, that he went on vacation with his whole family and they were around him, when he fell ill. Maybe nothing illegal about it, but surely all not very advisable.