In honour of her contribution she was awarded the Burma Star in 1985.

In all, she flew 25,000 miles during that time and through her songs and talking to the men about home she persuaded them they were not forgotten. In particular she visited the “Forgotten Fourteenth Army”, which was still fighting the bitter Burma campaign after VE Day. Dame Vera Lynn Vera Lynn inspired a spirit of optimism (Decca Records/PA) It is often forgotten that during those momentous days she was still a young woman in her early 20s, yet she travelled thousands of miles, often at great personal risk, to entertain the troops and to comfort them with words of hope. Jat 9:53AM BSTįorces sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn stirred the hearts of millions with songs and a personality that brought hope and inspiration during the darkest days of the Second World War.ĭecades later her name is as enduring as that of Sir Winston Churchill as a figure who played a huge role in keeping up the spirits of a civilian population suffering under the Blitz and the troops training at home and fighting overseas.

Her songs brought hope and inspiration during the darkest days of the Second World War.