Dame Vera Lynn
Known across the world as the ‘Forces Sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lynn provided hope and reassurance for Allied troops abroad and families back home during one of the UK’s darkest periods in history. She died surrounded by her close family on 18 June 2020. We received many beautiful tributes to Dame Vera Lynn from all around the world, following her death.
Dame Vera was born Vera Margaret Welch on 20 March 1917 in East Ham in the county of Essex. When she began performing publicly at the age of seven, she adopted her grandmother’s maiden name (Lynn) as her stage name. She started singing professionally in East End working men’s clubs. She spent the 1920s and 30s fronting some of the top society orchestras and captured the heart of the British public because, as she says: “I was never a glamour girl, I was the girl next door.”
Dame Vera Lynn's Career
In 1940, she began Sincerely Yours, her own BBC radio show which was broadcast in the UK and abroad. For seven years, Dame Vera Lynn performed songs that reminded the troops of home including some old favourites that she will forever be associated with – We’ll Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover, amongst others.
She toured Egypt and India with the Entertainment National Services Association, after which she travelled under the auspices of the army to Burma, meeting and performing for the troops, raising smiles and morale as she went. She became known and is still referred to as ‘The Forces’ Sweetheart.’
Her career continued to flourish after the war with hits at home and overseas, and she performed into the 1960s and 70s. In the latter half of her career she re-focused and put all her efforts into raising money for charity. Dame Vera Lynn moved to the village of Ditchling in East Sussex in the 1960’s.
In 2009 she became the oldest living artist to have a No.1 hit in the British album chart, at the age of 92, and the same year her autobiography ‘Some Sunny Day ‘ was published.
Dame Vera was recognised for her services to entertainment and charity in 2016 after being made a Member of the Order of Companions of Honour in the Queen’s 90th birthday honours.
Dame Vera celebrated her 100th birthday in March 2017 and the occasion was marked with a number of events taking place to commemorate this incredible milestone. A 100: Tribute to Dame Vera Lynn concert was held at the London Palladium on 18 March, where stars of stage and screen came together to perform a variety extravaganza, showcasing our Forces Sweetheart’s incredible life. Various tribute shows, events and birthday celebrations were held throughout the UK and beyond, paying tribute to this amazing lady and we thank everyone who kindly donated to our VERA100 campaign which enabled us to purchase a ‘magic carpet’ for our children to use at Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity. Dame Vera said “I have been quite overwhelmed by the response to my 100th birthday and the icing on the cake is the news that my new Decca album is No. 13 in the UK Album charts.” In the same year, a book ‘Keep Smiling Through’ written by Dame Vera and her daughter Virginia Lewis-Jones was published, giving a powerful and life-affirming account of the time she spent with troops in wartime Burma.
On 20 March 2018, Dame Vera celebrated her 101st birthday and, in her honour a tulip tree, (her favourite) was planted on the village green in Ditchling, by daughter Virginia. She was joined by Ditchling community groups, local dignitaries, the local school and people from the village to commemorate this very special day. Dame Vera was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Classic Brit Awards in June 2018.
In May 2020, Dame Vera became the oldest singer to score a UK top 40 album, beating her own record set in 2017. The increase in popularity for the album coincided with the 75th anniversary of VE Day, which marked the end of World War Two in Europe. Dame Vera’s iconic song, “We’ll Meet Again” took on a special meaning in the Coronavirus pandemic and was cited in a rare speech in early April 2020 by the Queen who acknowledged the grief and financial hardships that Britons were facing at the time.
Speaking on VE Day, Dame Vera said:
“This year, we must commemorate this special anniversary apart. I hope that VE Day will remind us that hope remains even in the most difficult of times and that simple acts of bravery and sacrifice still define our nation as the NHS works so hard to care for us. Most of all, I hope today serves as a reminder that however hard things get, we will meet again.”
Of the charity, Dame Vera said “Perseverance and never giving-up have been the secret of my success. Now, I am reminded of the importance of perseverance regularly through my special charity which helps young children affected by cerebral palsy and associated disorders.
The perseverance that these young people display every day is inspirational! Seeing a severely disabled five year old smile, or his parents laugh, reminds me that giving-up isn’t worth it – persistence can be so rewarding.”
