London, Apr 27 (PTI) Captain Tom Moore, a 99-year-old UK war veteran who served in India during the World War II and has raised nearly 30 million pounds for a government-run health service by walking laps of his garden, has been honoured with a special birthday postmark to celebrate his 100th birthday on Thursday.

UK postal company Royal Mail will honour Captain Moore by stamping all letters with a special postmark, starting from Monday - with the stamps set to adorn his birthday card from the Queen for his milestone 100th birthday.

All stamped post up until Friday will be marked with: "Happy 100th Birthday Captain Thomas Moore NHS fundraising hero 30th April 2020." Royal Mail said it was "honoured" to issue the postmark, the BBC reported.

Captain Tom Moore, who walks with the support of a walking frame and is from Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire, has extended his challenge to 200 laps after he completed the first 100 laps on April 16 to raise over 12 million pounds for the UK's healthcare charities fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

His initial 1,000 pounds fundraising target was broken in about 24 hours and he has now raised more than 29 million pounds for the National Health Service (NHS).

"What Captain Thomas Moore has achieved is truly phenomenal, and this is reflected in the affection shown for him across the world. As Royal Mail works to keep the country connected during these challenging times, we are honoured to issue a special postmark in celebration of his 100th birthday," said David Gold, director of public affairs and policy at Royal Mail.

Moore received tributes and wide praise for his goal to walk the 25-meters around his garden 100 times over before April 30, his 100th birthday, on April 16.

UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak recorded a special message for the war veteran, born in his constituency region of Yorkshire, to praise his "true Yorkshire grit".

"His extraordinary campaign had shown that the British spirit is as strong as it's ever been," said the Indian-origin finance minister.

Moore's last lap was lauded with a guard of honour from the 1st Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, which replaced his erstwhile regiment.

Brigadier Andrew Jackson from the regiment described Moore as "an absolute legend" who came from "an exceptional generation that are still an inspiration for our Yorkshire soldiers today".

Moore has now decided to keep walking past the April 30 mark to carry on raising funds for NHS Charities Together, a collective supporting and championing the work of the NHS.

"I'll continue walking while people are contributing money to a marvellous fund for the NHS," he said.

"You've all got to remember that we will get through it in the end, it will all be right. For all those people finding it difficult at the moment, the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away," he added.

Originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire, Moore trained as a civil engineer before enlisting in the Army for World War II, rising to the rank of captain. An online petition calling for him to receive a knighthood has attracted thousands of signatures.

"We are absolutely floored by what has been achieved but we're so happy, so humbled and so proud. He's a beacon of hope in dark times and I think we all need something like this to believe in and it's for such an amazing cause," Moore's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore said. PTI AKJ

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