Forces Sweetheart
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- Forces' Sweetheart was also a 1953 film.
Forces Sweetheart (or Forces' Sweetheart) is a title given to some entertainment women mainly in the Royal Air Force, although it was also used in the United States.
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[edit] First World War
The role had its origins in the World War I. Lady Angela Forbes was the Forces Sweetheart at the camp and was extremely voiciferous in her feelings towards the brutal treatment of soldiers there[citation needed], whilst Elsie Janis was called The Sweetheart of the AEF.
[edit] Second World War
Sweethearts during World War II included Vera Lynn (now Dame Vera Lynn), whose singing ("There'll be blue birds over the White Cliffs of Dover" and "We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when") brought great happiness to many in Britain; Gracie Fields; and Anne Shelton.
[edit] Post war
Frances Langford, whose husband was assistant secretary of the United States Air Force under president Harry Truman, was "Singing Sweetheart of the Fighting Fronts" from WWII to Korean War and Vietnam War.
[edit] Present
Present day title holders include Nell McAndrew, Claire Sweeney and Katherine Jenkins. In some cases, as this image demonstrates, the role has become more overtly sexualised than it was in the 20th century.
[edit] Gay sweethearts
With the introduction of homosexuals into the armed forces actor John Barrowman has been on a number of occasions named as the first gay sweetheart, conservatives reject this and encourage Barrowman to be referred to as a "Sweetmeat" rather than a "Sweetheart" so as not to sully by association the name of pervious female sweethearts with the idea of sodomy. Retired Frontier Wrestling Alliance superstar Alex Shane is another male icon often bestowed the title of "Forces' Sweetmeat", and apparently retired from pro-wrestling in order to dedicate more time to answering the many letters and requests for photos he receives from the Black Watch.
[edit] Literature
- Joanna Lumley. Forces Sweethearts.
- Eric Taylor. Forces sweethearts: Service romances in World War II.
- Chantelle Fiddy. My Life on the Front.
