Dame Vera Lynn: Britain's wartime Forces' Sweetheart passes away at 103, tributes pour in from grieving fans
Britain's wartime Forces' Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn died at the age of 103. She was surrounded by her family when she passed away. They released a statement, which said, "The family are deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of Britain's best-loved entertainers at the age of 103. Dame Vera Lynn, who lived in Ditchling, East Sussex, passed away earlier today, 18 June 2020, surrounded by her close family," Daily Mail reports.
Lynn had become well known during the Second World War which took place between 1939 and 1945. She would often perform to people who were taking shelter in London's underground. She had also become very popular among soldiers and had earned the nickname 'Forces Sweetheart'. During the war, she had even toured for troops in Egypt, India, Myanmar, and Burma. Back in 2017, she had spoken to the Guardian and had said, "Singing in the jungle was very hot and very sticky, which was a bit hard going. I had a little piano, which they trudged around on the back of a lorry, hoping it would survive the journeys." Her war-time songs were known to lift the spirits of departing soldiers and kept the morale high. Her signature song was 'We'll Meet Again'.
Meanwhile, social media users have expressed their condolences across platforms. One such user wrote, "A life less ordinary. She made such a difference to so many people. An incredible woman. Rest in peace." Another wrote, "Rest in peace Dame Vera Lynn. Forever our sweetheart...:( loved your songs we'll meet again, white cliffs of Dover and Berkeley Square. Thank you for everything you did in life..never to be forgotten."
"Deep regrets. A genuine British icon & historical figure who will be remembered long after most pop stars are long forgotten. RIP Vera Lynn," commented another. "That is so sad my dad’s generations sweetheart she was so important for the troops in the war. RIP Vera," wrote a social media user. Another grieving social media user said, "RIP forces sweetheart!! Never to be forgotten, hope all the lads and lasses turn out to greet u home." Lynn has been one of the country's most potent symbols of hope and resilience. Her songs 'We'll Meet Again' and 'The White Cliffs of Dover' had inspired troops abroad as well as civilians at home during World War Two.
She was born as Vera Margaret Welch in 1917 on March 20 in East Ham and was the daughter of a plumber. At an early age, Vera's talent for singing was discovered and by the age of only seven years old she was performing at clubs. At the age of 11, she had decided to drop out of school and chosen to take up a fulltime career as a dancer and singer in touring music hall revue, BBC reveals. She also made the decision to take on her grandmother's maiden name and began to call herself Vera Lynn.
At the age of 16, she had become a soloist and also fronted many bands who were holding onto traditional music instead of the be-bop and jazz trends. Lynn had made her broadcasting debut in 1935 while she was singing with the Joe Loss Orchestra. This led to radio appearances and also expanded her fan base.