The Forces’ Sweetheart

We share some photos from Puzzler’s souvenir magazine celebrating Vera Lynn’s 100th birthday.

DAME VERA LYNN was born in London’s East End, and began to sing professionally at seven. Her singing career really began to take off in the 1930s, and by the time she was working with the Ambrose Orchestra on the radio in 1937, she was already well on her way to becoming a national treasure.

Hosting a BBC show, “Sincerely Yours”, she became an icon to overseas servicemen, reading messages and singing requests, and before long she would be on tour to military bases in conflict zones around the world, earning the title of “the Forces’ Sweetheart”.