Tommy Atkins, by Roger Moore

Roger Moore reciting Tommy Atkins by Rudyard Kipling. From The Paul O' Grady Show, Thursday 13 December 2007.

[@brightonmick]

Back again to hear the perfect recital of Tommy Atkins. Not forgotten.

[@purplepoppyz]

I keep coming back too. Who would have thought a celebrity would so genuinely appreciate our soldiers. Brilliant poem recited by a brilliant man ❤

[@Ivanhoe2]

Bravo Sir Roger. Spoken from his heart, he was in the Army too,,although he always plays his past life down. A credit to Britain.

[@therealhannoverfisk]

This is the story of all professional soldiers, at all times, in all places.

[@-Thunder-Warrior-]

It's still true! Hundred or so years on and we're still fucking struggling.

[@randys2911]

@Claudius How bout fuck you foo. Till you walk in a soldiers or sailors boots.

[@deaconfelix7539]

you probably dont give a shit but if you're bored like me during the covid times you can watch all the new movies and series on instaflixxer. Been watching with my girlfriend lately =)

[@jadkylan7774]

@Deacon Felix Definitely, have been using instaflixxer for months myself :)

[@pierrejeppsson4674]

If you ever get a chance to read the translated version of Beowulf, i highly recommend it. Same kind of story, except it’s more so about transitioning to a “peaceful” life. And it was written between 700-1000 AD…..

[@ant182006]

this is such a powerful peom and sir rodger reads it so well and with real passion, he truly believes it and he is dead right, we all claim to be so proud of our military but by god we treat the public can treat them like shite.

[@headcage4348]

a brilliant reading of a classic that is sharply appropriate to our times.

[@rafhenlow]

My father said that he would never ever go to war for this or any other country again, (WW11). Give him a gun & he would stand at his door. But not fight for politicians. As I have grown older I have begun to agree more with his views. In the words of Terry Thomas, (re my views on this govt.) " you're shower, a bloody shower".

[@percy127]

Kipling's tommy always brings a tear to my eye, just like Enigma by Elgar. For I have heard these at too many returning parades for my brothers, but I do not shed a tear for their passing, I shed a tear for the time I will not have with them, for one day soon I will meet up with them at the great reorg in the sky.

[@rs4425]

My annual viewing of this powerful piece.. . Thank you, "Simon Templar".

[@discodroidz429]

A Mesmeric Recital. God Bless you Roger. RIP.

[@naismith666]

Reminds me of an engraving I read once at Gibraltar: God and the soldier all men adore, In times of trouble and no more. For when war is over and everything righted, God is neglected and the old soldier slighted.

[@upthegills27]

Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem called Tommy. There is a line in it that, I think, goes likes this - 'It's Tommy this and Tommy that and Tommy go away, but it's thank you Mr Atkins when the band begins to play'. He is saying that the British soldier (Tommy Atkins) is cast aside in peacetime, but when there is danger everyone needs and thanks him. We are at peace and look at the way the British soldier is being treated now - being prosecuted for fighting terrorists in Northern Ireland.

[@bruanhardrada9249]

An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

[@absbabs123]

im 15 years old, and ive seen all the bond films, my mums a big fan, and i think he was the best bond!

[@freespiritangel4868]

Your 30 now lol

[@rajanlaad]

beautifully recited by the great sir roger. reminds us that whatever we may think of the policy makers we must always understand that the soldier is the bravest and the best. fighting selflessly to protect us.

[@atlanticflier]

Thankyou for making this available. Roger Moore puts it over brilliantly. It should be shown in all schools in the UK to show that it's not considered clever to jeer and taunt our servicemen and women as has happened recently.

[@craigmcintosh7241]

Cheers to Roger Moore!!

[@sopankim]

So glad this is online for all to see as the main stream media have virtually ignored it. Well said Sir Roger!

[@arcadiaberger9204]

An excellent recitation of a poem of eternal value. I'm a Quaker, but I am also a veteran.

[@JakeMabe1]

My all-time favorite. He was a man. And a gentleman.

[@richardlionheart793]

Fantastic reading.rip sir Roger.

[@Ivanhoe2]

Very meaningful piece recited beautifully by the remarkable Mr Moore.

[@354sd]

Im crying like fuck Bless him

[@pamlico53]

Rodger Moore was , among other things, an outstanding narrator. I believe he was , among those many attributes, a true patriot himself.

[@chrishaith]

Thank you Roger Moore. This poem is still as true now as it was when Kipling wrote it. God Save our Armed Forces -

[@marijaburgess]

With remembrance Sunday coming up I just watched this again. It is so poignant and probably always will be. Lest we forget indeed.

[@potdog1000]

wow, what can yo say, he hit it spot on

[@rafhenlow]

I have replied to this in a bit more depth on his home page. The way our soldiers were/are treated when the come home is a disgrace. Remember that today's soldiers are volunteers, there was draft dodging back when, & most of them did very well whilst others were keeping the world safe for them with their lives. That is the reality my dad & others came back to. No Job, No home.

[@mig25pd]

God bless the British soldier - Dettingen, Waterloo, Inkerman, Spion Cop & Colenso, Ypres and the Somme, El Alamein and Imphal, the Imjin, Iraq and Afghanistan. The same blokes, just different uniforms.

[@tommyatkins604]

Well done Mr Moore - we will miss you.

[@Ivanhoe2]

Superbly read by a splendid character!

[@macsvens]

Outstanding!

[@sopankim]

Roger Moore recites Rudyard Kipling's anti-war poem "Tommy Atkins" on the Paul O'Grady Show, at Christmas time 2007. Thank you so much for making this available. I have been searching for it for weeks, the MSM seem to have virtually ignored it. Please don't remove it!

[@saadkhan1128]

This is not an anti war poem. Kipling was a very imperialist poet.

[@arcadiaberger9204]

@@saadkhan1128 Kipling was neither anti-war, nor imperialist. Regarding war, he was a sad realist, though I tend to disagree about how quick he was to resort to war. Regarding empire, he thought it was potentially a good way to eventually create a worldwide community of democratic nations (see his story "As Simple as A.B. C."), which is still the goal of the UN, the EU, NATO and the foreign policy of the United States. As opposed to the foreign policy of Russia, China and other authoritarian regimes, which actually *_IS_* imperialist.

[@saadkhan1128]

@@arcadiaberger9204 whitemans burden is not imperialist

[@arcadiaberger9204]

@@saadkhan1128 I wasn't actually referring to "The White Man's Burden", but to all of Kipling's work a a whole, but to suggest that a poem which Kipling *_explicitly,_* in its dedication, addressed to the United States as we took possession of the colony of the Philippines and thus began our life as a colonial empire, was anything *_OTHER_* than an endorsement of imperialism, is absurd. As a veteran of the U.S. Navy and later a failed nursing student (and thus having spent a lot of time in the company of Filipinos), I have a special fondness and admiration for the Filipino people, and regret that the islands did not join the Union as three, seven or thirteen states. They would have greatly enriched our culture and our economy, even more than Hawaii has. BTW, you may not be aware that "whiteman" is not only bad English, it is *_evil_* English, since it is jargon used by white supremacists and only scum like them.

[@Spraycando]

Go on Roger. Well done mate. Well done.

[@chenrobbins]

This poem never fails to raise goose bumps (and maybe make my eyes water a bit).

[@JohnKoroly]

My breath is taken away.

[@nobodycares85]

WOW, that has some real power, it was a great poem.

[@laddiebuck12]

I don't think you'll find much Kipling that *isn't* appropriate to any time! He had a rare quality.

[@LindseyAVTAK]

Roger Moore. An awesome man. More then just James Bond and Simon Templer. A man with heart.

[@TRUMPER007]

Bravo Sir Roger - nobody does it better!

[@chrishaith]

Cpl Brian Budd PARA, RIP

[@skipy936]

Spot on Roger, spot on!

[@crazymoo56]

Lovely clip. Thanks Roger.

[@atthebridge]

It's the proof that Kipling was a truly great writer. Maybe with some attitudes we've learned better of. But the whole story is in this poem - soldiers are due better treatment from the rest of us in peacetime, but they've seen some horrible stuff and they don't always make it the easiest. And well read.

[@TheDustysix]

USMC Cold War 1977-81.

[@inkats]

My name is Atkins so I was always referred to as Tommy whilst serving my National Service. - Happy days?!?!

[@rsvrsv1680]

The great actor, the great poem! English is not my native language, but I like to read Kipling's poems in the author's language

[@veradovey6091]

Lest we forget!!

[@rajanlaad]

very moving especially for one who lives in mumbai guarded by selfless soldiers who sacrified their lives to protect us.

[@trebleking1641]

Mesmerising

[@TheBrummiekerr]

brilliant

[@aelfredhauscarl]

Terrible how politicians treat our soldiers. Soldiers are heroes . In and out of war time.

[@tom97031]

Sir Roger Moore, I do believe?!

[@Kings_New_Clothese]

First time I have seen that, its made the hair at the back of my neck stand up.

[@bigbill74scots]

A gentleman and greatly missed.

[@TheDustysix]

I like to play this on my phone. In the waiting room at the VA. Semper Fi. A lady friend of mine has a younger brother. Desert Storm USMC. Recently diagnosed with cancer on his brain stem. Fatal. Duty; is a Four Letter Word.

[@theGiantworm86]

One of my favorite Kipling poems, next to gunga din.

[@syahaz7088]

Beautiful.

[@Mjk10957]

RIP SIR ROGER MORE YOU WAS ALWAYS MY FAVOURITE BOND

[@Paladin1441]

A Soldiers Poem if ever there was one!

[@sapper82]

As true today as it was in Kipling's time.

[@tyrespinningfreak]

The perfect reading for all of our fallen and currently serving personal. I feel rather pathetic not having served.

[@maz7726]

Dont feel bad amigo, you can be the man other ways, civil services are just as amazing, find yourself and excel, achievement is always praised.

[@RoberttheFox0001]

quite amazing

[@optimusslime]

s'wonderful.

[@chrishaith]

Cpl Brian Budd. VC. PARA RIP

[@2001KW]

Hope he's ok

[@knighterrant03]

Amen.

[@richardherbert9320]

The great Sir Roger Moore!

[@skipy936]

Bring our Tommies home NOW!

[@maz7726]

You bet tommy sees 2018

[@killjoy3259]

RIP

[@Nevins1331]

@CountOrlok1 There is always one.

[@wullieg7269]

God bless Jackson.

[@jochannon]

RIP.

[@rafhenlow]

what is the point of that reply?

[@rafhenlow]

those who don't like/agree with my comments, would you please let me know what you don't agree with!

[@freddage91]

Legennnnd :)

[@conradmilligan]

whats with the single image of the IDF doing in their? tommy's not Israeli last time i heard.

[@mallorcatim]

@Nevins1331 Too true, Mate

[@wullieg7269]

TOMMY don't vote for brexit.think of Holland.

[@melliszzz]

go army

[@therealhannoverfisk]

So it shall always be. Snivilians are always defended by men who are better than they.

[@LookHereMars]

10 year old comment or no Soldiers are "Snivillians" before they join the Army perhaps you should show a little more respect.

[@nobodycares85]

@CountOrlok1 Don't be too hard on them, they fight for their country, even if it is only due to orders. Those people will lay it all on the line if they have to. I agree that wars are immoral, and wrong but they happen, and if one happens, who will have your back?

[@davidharrison6615]

Different period same old shit . they wonder why we stick together . not hard to understand .

[@yelenamal]

pretty average reading only Russians can read poems great check Russian reading of Kipling even if you don t understand language you understand that Russian reading thausand times more powerful