In Pictures: Through the years with forces’ sweetheart Dame Vera

The singer is celebrating her 103rd birthday.

Last updated: 20 March 2020 - 7.10am

Dame Vera Lynn, who won the hearts of the nation during the Second World War by singing to British troops, is celebrating her 103rd birthday.

Born in East Ham, east London, she rose to popularity with her patriotic songs, including The White Cliffs Of Dover and There’ll Always Be An England – and earned the nickname The Forces’ Sweetheart.

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 Vera Lynn — Vera Lynn with her baby in 1946 (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 VERA LYNN — On stage at Grosvenor House in 1950 (PA)

Dame Vera Lynn at 90 — With Hughie Green and some of the Battle of Britain pilots attending the Battle of Britain 25th anniversary ball (PA)

Dame Vera Lynn — Dame Vera celebrates her 67th birthday on TV-AM’s Good Morning Britain with Rustie Lee and Patti Boulaye in 1984 (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 — Meeting the Queen Mother in 1995 (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 — Blowing out birthday candles in 1997 at age 80 (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 Dame Vera Lynn — She was named personality of the century in a nationwide poll (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 Imperial War Museum Exhibition — With former land girls at the Imperial War Museum (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 Dame Vera Lynn Dunkirk — Meeting Second World War veteran Les May to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 Spitfire Vera Lynn — As part of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain with Captain John (‘Cat’s Eyes’) Cunningham (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 World War II 60th Anniversary — At a veterans’ luncheon in 2005 (PA)

DAME VERA LYNN AT 90 60th anniversary of VJ Day – Imperial War Museum — The Duke of Edinburgh shakes the hand of Dame Vera at a service in 2005 (PA)

Forces sweetheart Dame Vera turns 90 — Celebrating her 90th birthday with Baroness Thatcher at the Imperial War Museum (PA)

Dame Vera Lynn — With the Queen, Bruce Forsyth and Claire Sweeney in 2005 (PA)

Dame Vera Lynn book signing – London — During a photocall to promote her autobiography, Some Sunny Day in 2009 (PA)

O2 Silver Clef Awards 2010 – London — With her Investec Icon award at the O2 Silver Clef Awards 2010 (PA)

Dame Vera Lynn 100th birthday — Skyping with pupils from her former east London school, Brampton Primary, on her 100th birthday (PA)

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