When I saw a documentary on her time visiting troops in Burma it brought years to my eyes thinking of my grandfather being a 20;year old out there for years. Seeing all the young men's faces was destroying.
When I saw a documentary on her time visiting troops in Burma it brought years to my eyes thinking of my grandfather being a 20;year old out there for years. Seeing all the young men's faces was destroying.
Have very good pal now living in Sydney whose father was a Chindit in 21Column, he became a Colour Sargent, fought hand to hand combat at the Battle of Imphal and saw action in many other skirmishes. Survived the war but caught Malaria in the process which weakened his internal organs.....he died around 1968, a relatively young man, as a result of the complications he suffered. He was a fabulous geezer......a true working class Cockney gentleman if ever there was one. Used to keep us teenagers enthralled with the tales of his days in Burma which us lads used to drag out of him bit by bit. He explained the suicide (Banzai) charges of the Japs, from time to time they’d reach the Chindit emplacements and then it kicked off for real.....not like a scrap in a pub or a street fight, that’s child’s play in comparison .....this was real him or me unto death stuff. I could scarcely believe that this little unassuming, kind and friendly middle aged bloke sitting not a few feet from me could have actually hurt a fly, let alone killed men in cold blood whilst staring into their eyes. Hour after hour they kept coming.....but they somehow held out......I could have sat listening to him for hours. God bless you Bill......the bravest man I ever met.
Very sad her passing but what a wonderful life. She was my Dad’s favourite. He was born the same year and when he too passed away a month short of his 98th birthday they played We’ll meet again at his funeral service. I had held it together until they played that song, which brought back memories of Dad telling me of his war stories and his younger days growing up in Lewisham. A wonderful man and a remarkable lady, hope they get to meet again. Rip Dame Vera.
A talkback caller remembered her concert tour of New Zealand and how, working in a hair salon in Auckland, she took a booking for a Mrs Lewis, Dame Vera’s married name. She remembered Vera Lynn as being the nicest lady. Partway through having her hair done she got out her knitting while chatting away.
From being Vera Welch, a girl without any showbusiness roots and the daughter of a plumber and dressmaker from the East End, to becoming Dame Vera Lynn, a national Treasure and Icon who must've had the longest career ever in the fickle world of song. Singing and entertaining from 7 to still selling music past a Century.
Comments
Brought a tear to my eye today
RIP
Survived the war but caught Malaria in the process which weakened his internal organs.....he died around 1968, a relatively young man, as a result of the complications he suffered.
He was a fabulous geezer......a true working class Cockney gentleman if ever there was one.
Used to keep us teenagers enthralled with the tales of his days in Burma which us lads used to drag out of him bit by bit.
He explained the suicide (Banzai) charges of the Japs, from time to time they’d reach the Chindit emplacements and then it kicked off for real.....not like a scrap in a pub or a street fight, that’s child’s play in comparison .....this was real him or me unto death stuff. I could scarcely believe that this little unassuming, kind and friendly middle aged bloke sitting not a few feet from me could have actually hurt a fly, let alone killed men in cold blood whilst staring into their eyes.
Hour after hour they kept coming.....but they somehow held out......I could have sat listening to him for hours.
God bless you Bill......the bravest man I ever met.
A talkback caller remembered her concert tour of New Zealand and how, working in a hair salon in Auckland, she took a booking for a Mrs Lewis, Dame Vera’s married name. She remembered Vera Lynn as being the nicest lady. Partway through having her hair done she got out her knitting while chatting away.
From being Vera Welch, a girl without any showbusiness roots and the daughter of a plumber and dressmaker from the East End, to becoming Dame Vera Lynn, a national Treasure and Icon who must've had the longest career ever in the fickle world of song.
Singing and entertaining from 7 to still selling music past a Century.
The Girl done good; a True British Legend.