Vera Lynn.

[saintpeter48]

How do you remember her?

[New Judge]

//Surely a candidate for a statue. Her morale-boosting work in the war has got to rank her amongst those who helped us win.//

Yes. In fact they could actually do away with the statue and simply erect a large metal box. I imagine Dame Vera's connections with the country's wartime efforts will not go down at all well with the "woke" crowd, bearing in mind their views of Sir Winston, who steered us through our efforts to impose our Imperialist views on the world.

[campbellking]

Too young to have been around in the war, actually saw her most in the balconies at Hickstead at the show jumping as she was great friends with the owners, the Bunns. The announcer would always acknowledge her.

[Jackdaw33]

Vera used to be rhyming slang for gin, as TTT will know.

[dannyk13]

I remember her well and the rivalry between her and Anne Shelton as to who was the ' Forces Sweetheart'.She came out on top by a country mile, although both of them entertained the armed forces at home and abroad in WW2.

[daisypotter]

Aww RIP Dame Vera. A good age. Go and say 'hello' to my Nan who loved you xx

[piggynose]

11.48 statue! Yes she certainly deserves one, and hopefully by the time its erected the statue breakers will have seen sense.

[Togo]

God welcome and comfort our Vera. A woman of her time, one of the golden generation that pulled together and saved Britain, at least for a while. She was a true British Icon, brave enough to travel to far flung places that were at the time very remote, in machines that were not as reliable as we expect now. Places that were threatened by people who would gladly have killed or captured her for propaganda purposes, as they would have wished for any of our high ranking forces or Government officials. She still went, insisted on it. That is why the troops loved her. That is why the people of Britain loved her. She would not be a British Mother/Sister/ Sweetheart figurehead today with that attitude would she. Perhaps if she dressed like she was auditioning for a blue movie, was proficient in profanity, a couple of face piercings perhaps, a tattoo or two, even a bit of secret but loudly proclaimed confused sexuality for good measure. Be a new British Icon then wouldn't she? Sometimes I feel as if I am watching Tolkien's Lord of the Rings being enacted. Some elves have been captured and corrupted into orcs. A brave, few, old fashioned souls sacrifice themselves and to serve the common good, some weary of fighting evil and duplicity and neglect their responsibility to rest. The aged and pure gather one last time to pass to a realm of perfection that will be closed to the false. RIP Vera Lynn, one of our flawless.

[anneasquith]

14.18 Danny. I recall my father saying Anne Shelton was a much better singer than Vera lynn. I have no memory of her .

[Mamyalynne]

Anne Shelton had an equally beautiful voice and way with her, I'm sure Dame Vera wouldn't mind a brief interlude.

[JimF]

I'd have to agree with your Dad, Anne, though Vera wasn't really trying to win any singing competitions. And her original recording of "We'll Meet Again" accompanied by a Novachord is really weird! The Novachord was mainly used for sound effects in horror and science fiction movies, and gives the song a very ethereal feel.

[Jackdaw33]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?ei=MFboXqn9E4ii1fAP2t6IqAI&q=lay+down+your+arms&oq=lay+down+your&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoECAAQQzoHCAAQgwEQQzoFCAAQgwE6BQgAELEDOgUIABCRAjoGCAAQFhAeOggIABAWEAoQHjoICAAQsQMQkQI6CAgAEIMBEJECUOZ9WPfp729gmY3wb2gAcAB4AIABhgGIAY8RkgEEMjEuNJgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=psy-ab

[Mamyalynne]

For Jack

[10ClarionSt]

I remember Ann Shelton. She was always on The Billy Cotton Band Show and the Black & White Minstrels, Sunday Night at the London Palladium etc. Vera Lynn appeared those as well.

However, senior military officials in WW2 weren't keen on Vera Lynn because they said she weakened the mens' fighting resolve by making them melancholy and homesick. But the men loved her. We've heard that for years haven't we?

[Mamyalynne]

The Top Brass didn't gauge it well did they?

She (and other entertainers of the time) gave the serving soldiers hope for the future and their return.