The White Cliffs of Dover

To my parents' generation, and to many of about my age,mention of the white cliffs of Dover immediately calls to mind the World War II song sung by the then forces' sweetheart, Vera Lynn.  Or, as I should have written, the now Dame Vera Lynn.

Digression for those unfamiliar with the British system of honours.  When a man is knighted, he can put the word Sir in front of his name so he becomes Sir John Black KCB instead of plain Mr John Black.  The dubbing ceremony (a man is dubbed a knight) involves him kneeling before the Queen as she touches his shoulders with a sword, reputedly then saying, "Arise, Sir X".  Dame is the feminine title but I don't know what the ceremony is called or what it entails.  On an etymological note, the word sir (or sire) comes from the French monsieur (my sire) and dame comes from the French madame (and English madam) (my dame).

Dame Vera lives just over the Downs from here but I have never had the honour of meeting her - and it would indeed be an honour.  I have watched her performing live on television and even at the age of 80 she had the most terrific stage presence and charisma.  They even managed to come across the air!  And her voice, perhaps not quite as strong as in the 1940s, was still as magical.

There are, of course, plenty of videos on YouTube but this is a good one.