The sword placed upon Captain Sir Tom Moore’s coffin at his funeral is to be the centrepiece of a new display in a North Yorkshire museum when lockdown ends.
The York Army Museum will proudly host the blade, which has been donated to the Yorkshire Regiment (YORKS) by its manufacturer, once lockdown ends.
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 (1 YORKS) 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 itself is inscribed with the badge of Captain Tom’s old unit, the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding), plus that of the YORKS, along with his name and service number.
Under his name is etched the YORKS regimental motto, ‘Fortune Favours the Brave’, with the other side featuring his own famous words of ‘Tomorrow will be a good day’.
Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) 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.”