Dame Vera Lynn celebrates her 100th birthday

TO reach the age of 100 is something special but to celebrate by releasing what is believed to be the first ever centenarian album goes beyond that and with her face projected onto the Dover Cliffs, Dame Vera Lynn is still ‘The  Forces’ Sweetheart’.

Born on March 20, 1917 in the east end of London,  Vera Welch started performing at the age of seven and adopted her grandmother’s maiden name Lynn when she became serious about her chosen profession aged just 11.

Dedicated to entertaining the Allied forces during the Second World War, Dame Vera has had a recording career which has spanned  a staggering eight decades and her latest release ‘Vera Lynn 100’ features all of her most famous songs with new orchestrations over her original vocals.