Published in Windlesora 34
©2018, WLHG
Dame Vera Lynn, widely known as ‘the Forces Sweetheart’, celebrated her 100th birthday in March 2017. She was extremely popular during the Second World War, when she toured countries as far away as Burma, entertaining British troops in the ‘Forgotten Army’. She is known to have visited Windsor twice during the war.
On 21 April 1942, a 16th birthday party was held for Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. The King and Queen and Princess Margaret were also present. Princess Elizabeth, a Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, inspected the Regiment and afterwards attended the party. Vera Lynn was one of the artists who provided the entertainment. She was reported as saying that she had the thrill of her life in singing before Royalty and that it was worth the two nights spent on the train. Her appearance at Windsor meant that there was no performance at the Sunderland Empire that night.
A troop concert for the Household Cavalry, attended by the King and Queen, was held at Combermere Barracks on 4 May 1945. Appearing at the concert were some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Vera Lynn, Arthur Askey, Will Hay and Tommy Trinder.
Derek Hunt
Sources
- The Sunderland Daily Echo
- Newcastle Journal
- The Stage
Windsor Local History Group 