The Imperial War Museum has secured a remarkable collection of Second World War memorabilia belonging to Dame Vera Lynn, the beloved entertainer known as The Forces' Sweetheart.
The London institution announced the late singer's extensive wartime archive, comprising over 600 letters from admirers, will undergo thorough preservation work before visitors can view the materials.
"Her music and commitment to visiting troops during the Second World War made her a symbol of hope for Britons both at home and abroad," an Imperial War Museum spokesman stated.
The museum expressed pride in safeguarding the legacy of an artist who maintained close ties with Britain's armed forces throughout her nine-decade career.
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The archive encompasses a treasure trove of personal and professional documents from Dame Vera's wartime years.
Among the most intimate items is her personal diary chronicling the India tour she undertook between March and June 1944.
The collection also contains the broadcasting agreement for her celebrated BBC programme Sincerely Yours, alongside 160 performance contracts covering more than 200 separate engagements during the conflict.
Correspondence penned by Dame Vera to her husband Harry Lewis forms another poignant element of the acquisition.
The Imperial War Museum has secured a remarkable collection of Second World War memorabilia belonging to Dame Vera Lynn, the beloved entertainer known as The Forces' Sweetheart
|GETTY
One of the most treasured items include Dame Vera Lynn's diary
|PA
Additionally, the museum has obtained clothing from her Entertainments National Service Association tropical kit, worn during overseas performances for British servicemen.
Dame Vera rose to prominence during the Second World War through stirring anthems including We'll Meet Again, (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover and There'll Always Be An England.
These beloved songs earned her the cherished nickname that would define her career.
Her wireless programme Sincerely Yours served as a vital link between servicemen stationed overseas and their families gathered around wireless sets back home.
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Some precious photos were also among the items
|PA
Beyond the recording studio, Dame Vera performed open-air concerts for troops serving in Egypt, India and Burma through ENSA.
These appearances brought comfort and a taste of home to soldiers fighting far from British shores.
Dame Vera's three-month journey across India proved particularly meaningful to the "forgotten Fourteenth Army," soldiers who continued battling in the gruelling Burma campaign even after victory was declared in Europe.
The singer passed away in June 2020 at the age of 103, having achieved a remarkable distinction just weeks earlier as the oldest recording artist to reach the UK top 40 with her greatest hits compilation 100.
Her final studio recording, Unforgettable, had been released a decade prior in 2010.
"She remained closely connected to the armed forces for the rest of her 90-year career, and IWM is proud to be part of preserving her legacy through this significant acquisition," the museum spokesman said.
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