Vera Lynne on the Burma/Assam border

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Roger Marsh of the ‘Action Desk — Sheffield’ Team on behalf of Jack Burgin, and has been added to the site with the author’s permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Vera Lynne on the Burma/Assam border
By
Jack Burgin

In 1943/4 we were on the Burma/Assam border for about 9 months. Our job was to fly supplies to the front lines and bring wounded and prisoners back. We’d heard that Vera Lynne was in the area and one evening she turned up at our landing ground in a 3 ton Dodge Truck.

There was canvas over the back of the truck and she used it as a stage and gave us a few songs by the light of 2 Kelly lamps. She was absolutely covered in flies and moths and how she managed to keep singing I don't know.

The "concert" lasted for about an hour with an audience of 200 or so of us gathered round. We gave her a wonderful reception.

Pr-BR

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