Put simply Winston Churchill marshalled the English language and sent it into battle across the wireless airwaves with his confident speeches that raised the nation's hope that, however many hardships England faced and battles lost, he made civilians believe that we would win the war!
Also over the wireless airwaves, Vera Lynn helped to maintain a constant connection between the English soldier fighting in the trenches and their families back home. Through her English songs, she reminded the soldiers abroad about the England they had left and the England they would return to after the war. Whereas Winston Churchill captured and tuned into the courage of the English civilian and the English soldiers, Vera Lynn captured their heart and became known as 'The Forces Sweetheart'.
While Vera Lynn was to become 'The Forces Sweetheart' and a 'National Treasure', she also was my dear late mother's 'Favourite Singer' and my own 'Dear Friend for the past thirty years'. Had mum been alive today, she would have been so proud that her favourite singer and her firstborn had become good friends.
Over the past thirty years, Vera helped me numerous times to promote my charitable ventures and my children's stories. We once arranged to jointly read to local school children in the village of Ditchling where she lives down south. Unfortunately, a few days before the reading, I was ill and could not attend, Vera went ahead with reading my book 'Robin and The Rubicelle Fusiliers' which is set in London during the Blitz and tells the story about an evacuee. After the reading, as an apology for my unexpected absence, I ensured that each of the 200 children Vera read to was given a free book.
On another occasion, I told Vera about a Mirfield man who had served in the army during the 'Second World War'. After the war, he cut out a picture of Vera from the newspaper, framed it and it sat on his mantlepiece for the following fifty years as the image browned inside the photo frame. The man's wife had died and he had become seriously ill. Vera's response was kindness itself. She sent me the original photograph to give the man. The photograph was her favourite and was cherished by her as she did not have the negative, yet she was kind enough to give a life long fan a super present. I will never forget his face when I handed him the personally inscribed photograph of Vera which he ran home with immediately to exchange with the framed newspaper image.
Vera was the very epitome of kindness in a human bundle. To celebrate her one-hundredth birthday, a CD of her most famous songs was produced for public sale. I was as pleased as punch when I later received a signed copy in the post. Her accompanying letter informed me that the CD was a special copy as so many people had requested signed copies of it, and 'she felt obliged to refuse them all, as to sign for a few of her public and not all of them would not be fair'.
Sorry to have lost you from this world, Vera. The world is a sadder place without you. We will meet again if I am lucky enough to go to the same place as you go now. Perhaps me, you and my mum can have a meetup, all three of us face to face again. Love and peace from your friend Bill xxx