Forces' other sweetheart Anne Shelton dies at 64

Sussex, from a suspected heart attack.

Less than a week ago, the singer, described by some as second-hand

Rose to Vera Lynn, appeared at a special concert at Buckingham Palace in

front of ex-servicemen in the Not Forgotten Association. In 1990, Miss

Shelton received the OBE for her work for the association.

Her agent and manager, Johnny Mans, said she was found by a friend

yesterday morning and added: ''Her family say there will have to be a

post mortem examination but we believe it must have been a heart attack.

She was in tremendous form and was hoping to appear in concert at the

London Palladium next year.''

While Vera Lynn's appeal covered all the services during the Second

World War, Anne Shelton was a particular favourite with the Royal Air

Force. She began her professional career at the age of 12 when she

joined the Ambrose band as Vera's replacement.

Her husky rendering of the German song Lilli Marlene was a huge hit

and was used as part of the British propaganda war against the Nazis.

She had her own radio show, Introducing Anne, which broadcast to

troops in North Africa. Later, Calling Malta provided a link for the

besieged garrison on the Mediterranean island.

Her chance with the Ambrose band came after a BBC talent contest in

1940 and she was signed to the Decca record label. She appeared on stage

and in cabaret throughout the war.

Her family home in Dulwich, south-east London was wrecked by a bomb

blast -- but after being rescued she went straight back to work that

night.

She first saw her husband and future manager David Reid on the

platform at Crewe railway station in 1943 and told her mother: ''Isn't

he a smasher?''

The young naval Lieutenant Commander, from Giffnock, was too busy

trying to find lost kit to notice her but they met again two years later

and romance blossomed. He became her business manager but they did not

marry until 1953.

During their long courtship, she took the American cabaret circuits by

storm. However, she hated going far from home and turned down offers to

work more often in the United States.

Lilli Marlene sold a million copies but the advent of the pop charts

brought her success up until 1961 when her last hit, Sailor, reached the

Top 10, rivalling Petula Clark's chart-topping version.

Her only number one was Lay Down Your Arms, a hit in 1956 amid the

onset of rock and roll.

Her other hits were Arrivederci Darling in 1955, and Seven Days the

next year -- both made the top 20 -- while Village of St Bernadette

reached number 27 in November 1959.

During her career, she sang with Bing Crosby and the Glenn Miller

Band.

She competed with British stars such as Alma Cogan, Ruby Murray, and

Joan Regan in theatres around the country and had her own show on Radio

Luxembourg.

But Elvis Presley was joined in the charts by other rock and rollers

-- Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Buddy Holly -- who challenged

established ballad singers like Anne Shelton for supremacy.

She moved to Herstmonceux with her husband to be close to her sister

Jo. David Reid died in 1990, just after his wife received the OBE and

Johnny Mans took over her career.

Mr Mans said yesterday: ''She was singing as well as ever and looking

forward to doing more work.''

She took part in the 50th anniversary events for D-Day by singing with

the New Squadronaires in Dockland and at HMS Daedelus at Gosport in

June.

She had starred in the Royal Variety Show and made regular appearances

at Buckingham Palace in connection with charity events.

Max Bygraves, who appeared on stage with her many times, said: ''She

was always very complimentary to other people. She was a lovely lady and

a good friend.

''We appeared at a lot of charity concerts together over the years.

That was something she had been doing for the past 20 years which many

people don't know about.''

Singer Ronnie Hilton, who appeared on Miss Shelton's television shows,

described her as ''a wonderful performer''.

''Out of the theatre though, she needed help with her life. She got

very frightened in the real world but she would always help to promote a

show and was very easy to get on with.

Guitarist Bert Weedon played as a session musician on several of her

records. He said: ''She was one of our leading singers. Nobody could

sing My Yiddisher Momma like Anne yet she wasn't Jewish. She was a

Catholic and very religious.

''She was a little girl lost off the stage. She missed her sister Jo

and her husband terribly when they died.

''She told me once: 'I don't want to go on any more'.

''But she did a huge amount for charity and for the troops during the

war. She had a marvellous voice.''