'Til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away

And so, farewell then Dame Vera Lynn, aged 103 - the last living embodiment of that "Wartime Spirit" that binds this plucky nation together in times of crisis.

Indeed, her "anthem" became somewhat of a morale-booster throughout this current coronavirus lockdown...

We'll Meet Again tribute to key workers

If there's not a state funeral, there'll be Hell to pay!

RIP, Dame Vera Margaret Lynn CH DBE OStJ (née Welch; 20th March 1917 – 18th June 2020)

See my tribute to Dame Vera on the occasion of her 100th

A pause for thought. Again.

Prime Minister Theresa May:

"Seven people have died as a result of the attack, in addition to the three suspects shot dead by the police. Forty-eight people are being treated in several hospitals across London. Many have life-threatening conditions.

On behalf of the people of London, and on behalf of the whole country, I want to thank and pay tribute to the professionalism and bravery of the police and the emergency services – and the courage of members of the public who defended themselves and others from the attackers...

...In terms of their planning and execution, the recent attacks are not connected. But we believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face, as terrorism breeds terrorism, and perpetrators are inspired to attack not only on the basis of carefully-constructed plots after years of planning and training – and not even as lone attackers radicalised online – but by copying one another and often using the crudest of means of attack.

We cannot and must not pretend that things can continue as they are. Things need to change...

...while the recent attacks are not connected by common networks, they are connected in one important sense. They are bound together by the single, evil ideology of Islamist extremism that preaches hatred, sows division, and promotes sectarianism.

It is an ideology that claims our Western values of freedom, democracy and human rights are incompatible with the religion of Islam. It is an ideology that is a perversion of Islam and a perversion of the truth.

Defeating this ideology is one of the great challenges of our time. But it cannot be defeated through military intervention alone. It will not be defeated through the maintenance of a permanent, defensive counter-terrorism operation, however skilful its leaders and practitioners.

It will only be defeated when we turn people’s minds away from this violence – and make them understand that our values – pluralistic, British values – are superior to anything offered by the preachers and supporters of hate...

...While we have made significant progress in recent years, there is – to be frank – far too much tolerance of extremism in our country.

So we need to become far more robust in identifying it and stamping it out – across the public sector and across society.

That will require some difficult and often embarrassing conversations, but the whole of our country needs to come together to take on this extremism – and we need to live our lives not in a series of separated, segregated communities but as one truly United Kingdom...

... Since the emergence of the threat from Islamist-inspired terrorism, our country has made significant progress in disrupting plots and protecting the public.

But it is time to say enough is enough. Everybody needs to go about their lives as they normally would. Our society should continue to function in accordance with our values. But when it comes to taking on extremism and terrorism, things need to change...

...As a country, our response must be as it has always been when we have been confronted by violence. We must come together, we must pull together, and united we will take on and defeat our enemies."

Vera Lynn - Land of Hope and Glory

Keep smiling through just like you always do

Vera Lynn began her estimable career as a young lass in the 1930s, singing with the orchestras of Joe Loss and Charlie Kunz. A true "East End girl" (she was born in East Ham - one of the neighbourhoods that was devastated by the Luftwaffe during the Blitz), and with her crystal-clear vocal talents, her repertoire of sentimental-but-uplifting songs (such as I’ll Be Seeing You, The White Cliffs of Dover, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, There’ll Always Be An England, and (of course) We’ll Meet Again) and her radio broadcasts and front-line concerts during the darkest days of WW2, she soon became known as the "Forces Sweetheart" and a truly worthy recipient of the epithet "national treasure"...

Vera Lynn at 18 singing Love Is Like A Cigarette with Joe Loss & his Orchestra on a 1930s variety show

Along with her cohorts Gracie Fields and Ann Shelton, she inspired many young artistes who followed in her wake, including Ruby Murray, Petula Clark ...and Dame Julie Andrews:

Julie Andrews - We'll Meet Again ("Julie and Dick in Covent Garden" show, 1974)

Her career may have waned commercially during the late 50s and early 60s with the advent of younger, fresher styles of music such as rock'n'roll and The Beatles, but she remained prominent in the collective British consciousness - with her own TV show in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and frequent appearances on other variety shows such as Morecambe and Wise (where she proved that she also had the capacity to poke fun of herself):

Vera Lynn is mistaken for Gracie Fields (Morecambe and Wise show, 1972)

Here is the great lady singing the two hits for which she is most revered...

Dame Vera Lynn The White Cliffs Of Dover and We'll Meet Again (1984)

...and in honour of her centenary, images and clips of her singing were beamed on to the White Cliffs of Dover today:

Dame Vera Lynn - 100th Birthday - White Cliffs of Dover Projection

Facts:

• Among her many awards and distinctions: the British War Medal 1939-45 and the Burma Star; the OBE in 1969; Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1975 Queen’s Birthday Honours for charitable services; the Freedom of the City of London in 1978; Officer of the Order of Saint John (OStJ) in 1998; Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in the Birthday Honours 2016.
• Vera Lynn appeared at the Royal Variety Performance four times - 1960, 1975, 1986 and 1990; she has also performed for HM The Queen on many other occasions including the golden jubilee of VE Day in 1995.
• In addition to being the oldest living person to release an album (Vera Lynn 100 was released last week), Dame Vera has the unique distinction of having had the longest span in the UK record charts - with three entries on the in the first ever listings in 1952, and still a top-seller today in 2017; her new compilation album of her orchestrated hits is currently outselling the likes of Drake and Zara Larsson by a wide margin.

Happy 100th birthday, Dame Vera Margaret Lynn CH DBE OStJ (born 20th March 1917)!