Vera Lynn: A life in pictures

The singer Vera Lynn, Britain’s “forces sweetheart” during the second world war, has died at the age of 103.

September 1940: Lynn performs for servicemen

Circa 1942: Lynn presents a mobile canteen to the armed forces on behalf of the Variety Artists’ Ladies’ Guild

Lynn studies a music sheet during the second world war

1943: Lynn arrives in Trafalgar Square, London, to perform during the “Salvage Week” campaign

1946: Lynn with her baby Virginia

1950: Lynn with ex-servicemen during a garden party held by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace

April 1952: Tony Hancock, Lynn and Jimmy Edwards rehearse a scene for the revue “London Laughs” at the Adelphi theatre

1965: Lynn rehearses for her radio show

1972: Lynn performs to guests at a Variety Club tribute to bandleader Joe Loss at the Savoy hotel

1975: Lynn outside Buckingham Palace after being invested a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

1978: Cilla Black, Harry Secombe and Lynn at the Variety Club of Great Britain luncheon, thanking the British record industry for its contribution to the club’s work for children’s charities

June 1984: Lynn at Utah Beach commemorating the 40th anniversary of D-Day, in Normandy, France

October 1992: The Queen with Lynn at Earls Court in London for The Great Event, a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne

May 1995: Lynn receives applause from the audience and fellow performer Cliff Richard during a concert in Hyde Park commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe

2000: Lynn at the Imperial War Museum in London, with Elizabeth Smith and Ennis Jones from Cardiff, Wales. Jane Victory and Emily Holt are dressed as land girls, while Heidi Richards is a munitions worker

2005: Lynn, Petula Clark and Bruce Forsyth sing “We’ll Meet Again” during the second world war 60th anniversary service at Horse Guards Parade, London

March 2007: Lynn salutes the crowd as she celebrates her 90th birthday at the Imperial War Museum

October 2009: Lynn poses for a portrait in London, where she joined Hayley Westenra for a rendition of “We’ll Meet Again” to officially launch the Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal