The fetishisation of Captain Tom Moore continues apace.
Boris Johnson has urged people across the country to join in a national clap for Captain Sir Tom Moore at 6pm this evening.
The prime minister said: “We all now have the opportunity to show our appreciation for him and all that he stood for and believed in.
“That is why I encourage everyone to join in a national clap for Captain Tom and all those health workers for whom he raised money at 6pm this evening.”
The vast majority had no idea who this man was a year ago. Now they are emoting as if he was a family member. Clearly the death of Diana Princess of Wales was a watershed moment. It was the moment when we lost our reserve and became a nation of emotional incontinents.
Tom Moore lived to a ripe old age. He seems to have had a fairly eventful life and seemed to be an all round good egg – he rode motorcycles at one time, so that’s a bonus. But I didn’t know him personally, so I am not grieving. Besides at 100 years, he was always on borrowed time. All in all, he had a good innings and it was his time to go.
What I won’t do is engage in a facile show of clapping – not for anyone or anything.
The clapping thing has become a bit tiresome really. I don’t expect a big reaction as I think that most people are as bored with it as I am. The last attempt to get it going again fizzled out, you would think that someone would have noticed and taken the hint.
Yeah, I think you’re right. For me it’s just too soviet.
Oh I thought they said ‘crapping’, on your doorstep.
I was going to use the neighbour’s doorstep though. No sense crapping on your own.
“He rode motorcycles at one time”
There’s a picture of him astride a Scott Squirrel, just like the one my late father rode during and after WW2. I wonder what modern day environmentalists would make of it – a twin cylinder 2 stroke running on 16:1 fuel/oil mix, with additional oil drip-fed into the intake! I did once see one going down a main road nearby – in truth I couldn’t actually SEE it, just the smoke rising above the rooftops…
“All in all, he had a good innings and it was his time to go.”
There are indications that he was admitted to hospital with pneumonia, and caught covid while in hospital………if true I bet the sainted NHS will be keeping it VERY quiet.
A bit like my mother. She went in for a minor procedure and caught pneumonia while in there.
Judging by the published timelines of testing of Sir Tom, it is very very likely that he contracted covid in one of the filthy NHS hospitals that he raised so much money for.
Talking about the Scott Squirrel, does anyone remember the Silk motorcycles from the ’70s, which used a Scott engine? I saw one once – very rare.
Oh, by the way, I won’t be clapping either. I’m not really inclined to do anything that Boris encourages me to do at the moment.
Yes, I do remember those. I rather fancied one, but they were out of my reach at the time.
I also remember the Silk motorcycle – I’ve found a photo of the company MD sitting on one at the IOM TT in 1979. It looked remarkably compact (little bigger than my Morini 3½), and was beautifully made. I think they were just too expensive (hand built) to succeed in a market full of Japanese competition. Seeing as we are talking about old men & motorcycles, in the same folder is a picture of my father standing alongside Stanley Woods and his Velocette 500, taken during the same trip…
’79 TT? That must be when I saw it. I believe that the lightweight Spondon(?) frame made up for the relatively low powered engine.
I have a book called Classic British Bikes that has a spread on it- think they were struggling to fill the post-1970’s chapter (it also featured the Hesketh Vampire and Norton rotary!)
Six o’clock came and went, and there was no one clapping in this part of town
I think we may have reached peak clap.
Early Silks used a Scott engine but the later ones used Silk’s own engine. The bike was a bit odd as the Scott based engine and four speed gearbox gave fairly modest performance while the Spondon frame was more suited to high performance racers.
Clap for Captain Tom and NHS
Whut? He was infected with Covid-19 in hospital after admission for pneumonia – msm ignore that inconvenient fact
Silence hear at 18:00
A good chap. Condolences to his family & friends
Silk, Scott: I’d never heard of them, time for some searching. Thanks
Well said, good comments too. RIP to a remarkable man, though the deification and fawning tributes are a bit OTT
It is a cheap gesture.
Same as ticking “Like” on social media.
If he is/was the man I think he wax it would embarrass him.
And he would think of all his mates who are not worthy of a clap.
I am not intending to criticise the man in any way, but I feel people are entitled to ask questions a few questions surrounding the nature of events:
1. Barbados in December?
2. Covid negative when admitted to hospital?
3. Covid positive when leaving hospital?
4. Family allowed around him when he passed?
Is it a complete coincidence that one system has managed to invent:
Liverpool Care Pathway.
North Staffs Elderly Hydration Plan.
Lake District Maternity Plan.
Staffordshire Mother& Baby Plan.
National Covid Plan for Care Homes
and so on ad infinitum.
Its certainly the wonder of the world in that respect – a world beating ability to shorten the lives of the most vulnerable within its ambit.
I disagree. I’ll clap my arse off when Boris Johnson resigns