Fly-past for Captain Tom’s funeral

A SECOND World War-era plane will soar over Captain Sir Tom Moore’s funeral service today in honour of the veteran and NHS charity fundraiser.

The C-47 Dakota, part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight which operates from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, will perform the fly-past.

Sir Tom’s 100th birthday celebrations last year included a Spitfire fly-past and he was photographed punching the air as it went past. Soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment will carry his coffin to the crematorium, with a firing party, a bugler and a ceremonial guard also forming part of the service. Defence

Secretary Ben Wallace said: “In national emergencies ordinary people do extraordinary things and inspire us all to pull together to overcome adversity. Few will have heard of Sir Tom before this crisis, but his contribution and example now lives on in us all.

“The Armed Forces are immensely proud to contribute to the celebration of his extraordinary life of service.”

Sir Tom, who raised more than £32m for the NHS with a sponsored walk of his garden in lockdown, served with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment during the Second World War, which later merged into the Yorkshire Regiment.