Voice of hope in Britain during World War II dies at 103
LONDON: Vera Lynn, the singer who became a symbol of hope in Britain during World War II and again during the coronavirus pandemic with her song We’ll Meet Again, died at the age of 103 on Thursday.
Known as the Forces’ Sweetheart, Lynn struck a chord with soldiers fighting overseas and with the public back home through her performances and records, including The White Cliffs of Dover.
She was back in the headlines in April when Queen Elizabeth used words from Lynn’s song to tell the country “We will meet again” and urged people to show resolve during the lockdown.
Lynn died on Thursday morning surrounded by close relatives, her family said in a statement.
Born in 1917, Lynn performed hits during World War II in various countries, including India, Egypt and Myanmar as part of the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) , set up to lift spirits of soldiers on the front lines.
Her records sold in the millions and for decades her songs remained on top of the charts, particularly There’ll Always Be An England, I’ll Be Seeing You, Wishing and If Only I Had Wings.
The Pink Floyd song Vera, on the 1981 album The Wall, asked, “Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn? Remember how she said that we would meet again some sunny day?”
Lynn’s last public performance was in Trafalgar Square in 2005 .
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson led the tributes to Lynn, saying, “Dame Vera Lynn’s charm and magical voice entranced and uplifted our country in some of our darkest hours. Her voice will live on to lift and hearts of generations to come.”