Dame Vera Lynn, pictured in 2005.

Dame Vera Lynn, the “sweetheart” of the armed forces during World War II, became on Sunday the oldest living artist to reach the top 20 of Britain’s album charts, her record company said.

Lynn, who kept up the spirits of millions with her songs and personality during the darkest days of the war, entered the charts at number 20, at the age of 92.

Her album, “We?ll Meet Again - The Very Best of Vera Lynn”, returned her to the charts decades after she topped them in the 1950s.

“I am extremely excited and delighted to be back in the charts after all these years,” she said.

Her album overtook those of comparative youngsters U2, the Stone Roses, Green Day and Eminem.

The album was released to coincide with this week’s 70-year anniversary of the declaration of World War II.

A spokeswoman for her record company Decca said: “She has proven that music of this vintage and significance can still resonate with the British public.”

The album features 24 songs from her golden years, including “Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart”, which was a number one hit in the United States in 1952.

Lynn was born on March 20, 1917, in London and her singing career was already flourishing when war broke out in 1939.

She was awarded the title “Forces Sweetheart” following a poll in the Daily Express newspaper, and travelled thousands of miles — often at great personal risk — to entertain the troops.

She also had a BBC radio show on which she performed songs such as “We’ll Meet Again”, “I’ll Be Seeing You”, “Wishing”, and “If Only I Had Wings”.

Source: AFP