In uncertain times, there's always a story which grips the hearts of the nation and the coronavirus pandemic has a new hero, Captain Tom Moore.

The 99-year-old Second World War veteran has taken the world by storm as he walks 100 laps of his garden to raise money for the NHS amassing an incredible £12 million in donations.

But the former tank officer – originally from Yorkshire – has revealed how he met the love of his life after the war, a girl from Gravesend.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Capt Moore told the heartwarming story of falling in love with his beloved late wife, Pamela.

The pair were working together for a roofing materials company.

Pamela was the office manager for the firm's headquarters in Gravesend while Capt Moore worked as a sales manager in his native Yorkshire.

He recalls the times driving down to Kent on multiple occasions to see Pamela for work and their romance blossomed.

"As it so happened, the office manager in Gravesend was a rather attractive young lady – she looked terrific to me, like a model – so I had to do various trips and, shall we say, the ­attraction with the office manager became stronger and I eventually married her," he said.

The couple married in 1968 and have two daughters, Lucy and Hannah.

He remembers it as "a very happy time" in his life.

The pair would often take trips to Marks & Spencer which Capt Moore described as his wife's "dream day out" so he recalls doing that a lot together, he said.

The fundraising page Tom's Walk for the NHS set up on GoFundMe a little over a week go with the aim of raising £1,000 for NHS charities.

But it has taken off in the last couple of days with the total passing £12m and is still rising – having reached £1m just two days ago.

He has walked 100 lengths of his 25-metre garden on his zimmerframe, which he wanted to do before his 100th birthday on April 30.

Now living near Milton Keynes, Capt Moore completed his laps today but will keep going as long as the donations come in.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, he said: "It just shows that there there are such generous thoughtful people throughout the country.

"We're so generous in every way that this sort of money had come along and its for such a super purpose for our doctors, our nurses, all the back up people deserve everything that we can give them."

He added his praise for the NHS workers and thanking them for the "marvellous, marvellous job" they are doing "putting yourselves in danger for the good of all the people here".

The veteran has attracted worldwide media attention and soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment arrived at his home this morning to cheer him on his final few laps to his century.

He's also received dozens of messages of support from celebrities, sports stars, actors and politicians including England cricketer Ben Stokes, singer Jason Donovan, golfer Ian Poulter, actress Bonnie Langford.

A campaign has even been launched for Capt Moore to receive a knighthood from The Queen.

Capt Moore was conscripted to the army aged 20 in June 1940 and joined the Duke of Wellington Regiment (DWR) based in Otley, West Yorkshire.

He carried out officer training in Droitwich before passing out as a second lieutenant and rejoining the DWR which formed the 146th Royal Armoured Corps.

In October 1941, Capt Moore and his unit were posted to Bombay in India and served throughout the country during the war.

When the war ended, he saw out the rest of his military career as a tank driving instructor at Bovington in Dorset.

Are you a relative of Tom's wife Pamela and still living in Kent? Please get in touch at gravesend@thekmgroup.co.uk

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