Vera Lynn

“I never thought that I would share a hit parade with the Beatles.”

“I was very privileged to enjoy The Queen Mother's company on many occasions. She was relaxed and informal - she would just sit down for a chat.”

“Remember to stand tall and tuck your tummy in - very important as you get older!”

“We were a great family for singing. There were good voices on both sides and no reluctance to use them.”

“In so many ways, World War II was one of the lowest lows imaginable, yet some of my most treasured memories come from that time. Communities came together, people displayed a wonderful generosity of spirit and I saw the bravery of our boys on the front line as they fought for our freedom.”

“I think people looked at me as one of them - an ordinary girl from an ordinary family with a voice they could recognise.”

“England, through good times or bad, was the only place I wanted to be.”

“I always felt that whatever I had to endure was nothing compared to what the average soldier, sailor or airman had to put up with.”

“You've got to be nice to people when you're on your way up, because you never know who you are going to meet on the way down.”

“I used to go from place to place by tram. A shilling would take you all around London and the suburbs.”

“I don't listen to the radio. I'd rather watch the television.”

“I don't have a good memory, so learning all the songs for my TV performances was a real challenge.”

“I didn't have any more children because I couldn't have continued working - and I was the main breadwinner. But although we are small in number, family life has always been hugely important to me.”

“I didn't mind a bit of hardship.”

“I already am very satisfied by my career. It has been long, diverse and hugely rewarding.”

“If I switch on the radio and hear some nice classical music, I will sit and listen to it but I don't sort of play records or go for any particular type of music.”

“Nostalgia is very powerful.”

“I don't think the singers take it as seriously as we used to. The words, the meaning, the phrasing, the feeling of the song. They see the words, they know the tune and they just sing it.”

“I've had the good fortune of having a long and varied career. Looking back, some might think things have been plain sailing but, as with anything, there have been both highs and lows.”

“When I left school at 14, I thought I had better get a job. I got one in a factory where I sewed on buttons. It was so boring and we weren't allowed to talk or sing. I lasted a day.”