“Being conscripted didn’t do me any harm at all,” he said in the matter-of-fact tone we’ve all fallen for over the last month.
Still sporting the same moustache as the one in his uniformed portrait as a 20-year-old and with his Yorkshire accent, Moore was an absolute delight to spend time with. He was unintentionally hilarious, quipping that “it did get a bit hot” while fighting in India, and his bravery and determination shone through.
The fight against the ruthless Japanese soldiers in Burma, now Myanmar, is often referred to as ‘The Forgotten War’ but this documentary suggested it was one of the toughest regions to be dispatched. Spiders “as big as your hands”, endless downpours and the threat of malaria loomed large, though the self-effacing Moore simply described his surroundings as “uncomfortable”.
Selfless as always, he also made sure to remind us that VE Day did not mark the end of the war for his regiment, who toiled in Burma for a further three months.
Bringing us back to the present day and his walking, Captain Tom said, “A Yorkshireman’s word is his bond. I said I’d do it, so I’ll do it,” a hint of well-deserved but rare pride in his voice. His walking may have made him famous but Captain Tom, along with his comrades, has always been a national hero.
