Lost recordings of Dame Vera Lynn from the Second World War have been discovered and are set to be released. The singer, who died at the age of 103, became famous for her wartime classic 'We'll Meet Again'.
The song, recorded in 1939, captured the heartbreak and optimism of Britain at war. Its lyrics provided comfort to those separated from loved ones: 'We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when / But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.'
Dame Vera was only 22 when she first recorded the song. She found it while shopping for new material in London's Denmark Street. The tune was written by Hughie Charles and Ross Parker, who anticipated the coming hostilities.
Her first recording featured Arthur Young on the Hammond Novachord, the world's first commercially-available polyphonic synthesizer. This made her single one of the first pop records to feature a synth. However, a later recording with a full orchestra became more famous.
The song has since been quoted by the Queen and covered by Johnny Cash. It re-entered the UK chart earlier this year during the coronavirus lockdown, offering a message of hope.
