Vera Lynn has died are you old to enough to remember her songs during WW2

[Mark Gregory]

Vera Lynn: Forces' sweetheart who stirred the hearts of millions during the darkest days of the Second World War  

Forces' sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn stirred the hearts of millions with songs and a personality that brought hope and inspiration during the darkest days of the Second World War.

How Vera Lynn enjoyed a resurgence during her final few months 

Dame Vera Lynn enjoyed a resurgence during the last few months of her life as her words became a source of comfort to many during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Queen channelled the lyrics of her wartime classic when she told a nation in lockdown, separated from their families and friends, 'We will meet again'.

The song had originally helped raise British spirits during the Blitz.

Dame Vera said she had been buoyed by the Queen's words.

'I watched with the rest of the country and thought it was a great encouragement during these difficult times, but I wasn't aware that Her Majesty would use the lyrics at the end of her speech,' she told the Radio Times.

'I support her message of keeping strong together when we're faced with such a terrible challenge.

'Our nation has faced some dark times over the years, but we always overcome.'

She also recorded a new voiceover which addressed coronavirus for the song, to mark her 103rd birthday in March.

Dame Vera said: 'We are facing a very challenging time at the moment, and I know many people are worried about the future.

'I'm greatly encouraged that despite these struggles we have seen people joining together.

'They are supporting one another, reaching into the homes of their neighbours by offering assistance to the elderly and sending messages of support and singing into the streets.

'Music is so good for the soul, and during these hard times we must all help each other to find moments of joy.'

Dame Vera and fellow singer Katherine Jenkins released a duet performance of We'll Meet Again to raise money for staff and volunteers working on the front line of the pandemic.

The country's celebrations of the 75th anniversary of VE Day in May also helped Dame Vera's work to have a resurgence.

Jenkins performed We'll Meet Again in a recorded concert in an empty Royal Albert Hall to mark the occasion.

Following the celebrations, Dame Vera became the oldest artist to score a top 40 album in the UK after a collection of her greatest hits re-entered the rankings in 30th place.

 

Decades later her name is as enduring as that of Sir Winston Churchill as a figure who played a huge role in keeping up the spirits of a civilian population suffering under the Blitz and the troops training at home and fighting overseas.

It is often forgotten that during those momentous days she was still a young woman in her early 20s, yet she travelled thousands of miles, often at great personal risk, to entertain the troops and to comfort them with words of hope.

[Mark Gregory]

Still only 24, she was stirred into action when she learned that few entertainers went to Burma, where the men of the Fourteenth had called themselves the Forgotten Army.

Her four-month tour started in a Sunderland flying boat. She transferred to smaller and smaller aircraft until she ended up on the road from Rangoon to Mandalay in a battered car.

Describing the experience later, she said it was 'the trip of a lifetime' and the smell that haunted her most was the gangrene pervading the field hospitals where she spent hours talking with soldiers.

In all, she flew 25,000 miles during that time and through her songs and talking to the men about home she persuaded them they were not forgotten.

A collection of her greatest hits reached number 30 in the Official Charts Company rankings following the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

Dame Vera supported many charities and was a stalwart of several ex-servicemen's organisations.

In 1991 she played a key part in forcing the government to end the anomaly under which a war widow who lost her husband after 1973 received a far higher pension than a widow of a soldier who died before that date.

She was also a proud holder of the Burma Star and regularly attended the Burma veterans' annual reunions.

She was outspoken in her opposition to the Duke of Edinburgh attending the funeral of the Japanese emperor Hirohito.

She felt it was wrong that Philip should go since he was president of the Burma Star Association and the nephew of Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

She urged that a younger member of the royal family represent the Queen to fulfil protocol.

Until 1944, Vera Lynn remained mostly in London but then she made her famous tour of Burma to entertain the troops.

In particular she visited the 'Forgotten Fourteenth Army', which was still fighting the bitter Burma campaign after VE Day.

Dame Vera, who died aged 103, eschewed glamour and the pampered life. She was as much a humanitarian as an entertainer and everybody loved her.

Her work did not end when the war was over - throughout her life, she remained an indefatigable and outspoken supporter of military veterans, through to their old age.

Her songs inspired a spirit of optimism and she spent her career fostering nostalgia which, during the war, was just what people felt they needed.

More recently, her words became a source of comfort to many during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a televised address to the nation, the Queen channelled Dame Vera's lyrics when she told people separated from their loved ones: 'We'll meet again.'

Dame Vera said she had been stirred by the Queen's words.

'I watched with the rest of the country and thought it was a great encouragement during these difficult times, but I wasn't aware that her majesty would use the lyrics at the end of her speech,' she told the Radio Times.

'I support her message of keeping strong together when we're faced with such a terrible challenge.

'Our nation has faced some dark times over the years, but we always overcome.'

Last month Dame Vera also became the oldest artist to reach the top 40 in the UK album charts.

[John_S_in_Penna]

No, I'm not old enough to remember her;  but I am

knowledgeable enough to know of people outside my era!

Similarly, I know of Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln,

Franklin Roosevelt, etc.

 

Vera Lynn's song, "White Cliffs of Dover", has been on

Youtube since it was sung by a girl on the Britain's Got Talent

talent show.

[36 D2 Coupe]

Thanks for this Mark. Dame Vera has been a powerful force for good her whole life. We salute her.

[Walt G]

She gave the spirit of hope  to England in its darkest hours , I could sense this when visiting relatives in England and listening to them speak of family history. Her songs lend another dimension to the cars and vehicles of that era as well if you see them and hear her at the same time. When I took a tour of the "War rooms" in London several years ago all I could hear in my head was her singing.

[zepher]

I first heard about her through a Pink Floyd song released in 1979.

She was an amazing woman that went to great lengths to make sure England's troop's spirits were lifted and brought a little piece of home to those on the front lines.

Her contribution to the war effort should not be forgotten.

[Guest]

103

A very good run.

[Guest]

"Alexa, play Vera Lynn"

 

...mmmm, now that's nice.

What a voice.

 

[Billy Kingsley]

Learned of her through my study of history. Saw a live performance of a couple of her songs at a military encampment (reenactment) at FDR's home. Surrounded by old Jeeps and people in period military uniform...it was an interesting experience.

[JamesR]

I'm wondering if there's anyone in the US, Canada or western Europe who hasn't heard The White Cliffs of Dover. One of the WW2 era's most beautiful songs. Thanks for the post and education. Many condolences to her family and the people of Great Britain who remember her.

[DB26]

God Bless her. I’m only 31, but I adore her voice and music. She will be remembered forever. 

[46 woodie]

I didn't know it was Vera Lynn that sang the song "We'll Meet Again", one of the most iconic songs from WW II. Every time I here the song I think of the Greatest Generation and what they sacrificed for us. On a side note, the song is also used at the very end of the atomic bomb satire movie, Dr. Strangelove and How I learned To Love The Bomb. As atomic bomb's are detonating and killing all of humanity, the song is playing.

[30DodgePanel]

8 hours ago, zepher said:

I first heard about her through a Pink Floyd song released in 1979.

She was an amazing woman that went to great lengths to make sure England's troop's spirits were lifted and brought a little piece of home to those on the front lines.

Her contribution to the war effort should not be forgotten.

 

Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?
Remember how she said that
We would meet again
Some sunny day?.....

 

Great song btw...

[wayne sheldon]

Wonderful.

I did not know that much about Vera Lynn. Knew the name. Certainly knew some of the songs. And very aware of the importance of those songs in relation to their context in the history of that time.

Sounds like she was indeed an incredible and wholesome individual, and truly a benefit to society.

[Mark Gregory]

Dame Vera Lynn is honoured with a flypast from two Spitfires as crowds line the streets of her Sussex village for her funeral - on the 80th anniversary of start of Battle of Britain

• Forces' Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn entertained troops with morale-boosting frontline visits during WWII
• Adored singer who entertained troops died aged 103 - weeks after taking part in VE Day celebrations
• Locals lined the streets of Ditchling, where she lived next door to her daughter, to say goodbye today 
• Crowds clapped and cheered as the two Spitfires roared over Dame Vera's cortege three times 
• Queen led tributes and referenced 'We'll meet again' as she addressed the country during lockdown
• The RAF previously said that a Spitfire and a Hurricane would be flying but it changed at the 11th hour 
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[wayne sheldon]

Beautiful!

Thank you Mark G for the look at a wonderful tribute to a remarkable lady.