97-year-old to lead We’ll Meet Again sing-a-long to mark 75 years since VE Day

A 97-year-old member of a rock choir will lead 32,000 singers across the UK in a VE Day sing-along of We’ll Meet Again on Friday night at 9pm.

Iris Pallett, the oldest member of the Bromley Rock Choir, will mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe with leader Michael Fricker, who looks after the choirs in Bromley, Bexleyheath, Eltham and Petts Wood.

The song will be broadcast live from Rock Choir’s Facebook page as the public are encouraged to mark the anniversary from their doorsteps.

Rock Choir has reached more than one million households with its Keep Britain Singing Campaign, which is its daily sing at 3pm each day.

Iris and neighbour and fellow Rockie Linda Constant, recorded Iris singing We’ll Meet Again when lockdown first began.

Iris remembers standing in a crowded Trafalgar Square and then moving into Downing Street on the original VE Day.

She watched Sir Winston Churchill drive by in his open top car before she was pushed to the ground by the crowds, falling in front of his guard horses.

A policeman scooped her up just in time to avoid being trampled on.

During the war, she worked on a grinding machine making screws for propellers on the aircrafts.

She has also sung with the choir at Abbey Road Studios, Wembley Stadium, Twickenham and Hammersmith Apollo.

Rock choir founder Caroline Redman said: “Iris is an inspiration to us all. She

sent me a singing video message at the start of the lockdown telling me to be strong and to keep smiling, while my team and I worked around the clock to move the Rock Choir Experience online for everyone.

“She is a remarkable woman. Everyone loves her in the Rock Choir family, and who better to lead us all on VE Day than our wonderful Rockie, Iris.”

The Roche School in Wandsworth have released a ‘remote’ video performance of their choir singing We’ll Meet Again, immortalised by Dame Vera Lynn.

Each member of the choir recorded their contribution separately.

Pictured top: Iris Pallett pictured singing in lockdown