[303rd-Talk] Dame Vera Lynn, DBE

[rex pearce]

Stars gather for Dame Vera's birthday.

The Imperial War Museum is hosting a celebrity reception
today to mark the 90th birthday of wartime Forces Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn.
Dame Vera, who kept up the spirits of millions with her songs during the darkest days of the second World War
will attend the gathering in London along with war veterans and entertainers, including June Whitfield, Bill Pertwee,
Liz Smith, Frank Thornton, Roy Hudd and wartime
broadcaster David Jacobs.
Katherine Jenkins will perform wartime hits including
"We'll meet again" and " The White Cliffs Of Dover",
and lead a chorus of "Happy Birthday".
Dame Vera was born on March 20th, 1917 in London
and her singing career was already flourishing when war broke out in 1939. She was awarded the title Forces Sweetheart following a poll in the Daily Express and
travelled thousands of miles, often at great personal risk to entertain the troops.
She famously visited the Forgotten Fourteenth Army during
the bitter Burma campaign and in 1985 was awarded the Burma Star for her contribution there.
Rex.