WE are thrilled that Dame Vera Lynn has joined our campaign for a memorial to the women of the Second World War.

No one better personifies the selfless contribution of women to the war effort than the Forces' Sweetheart.

Throughout the campaign, Dame Vera worked tirelessly to entertain the troops and the nation. Her two most famous songs, We'll Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover, helped to keep morale high during Britain's darkest hours.

Perhaps more than anyone of her generation, Dame Vera knows the crucial role women played in securing victory. Her book Unsung Heroines chronicled the work of women in factories, hospitals, in the Land Army and elsewhere.

She believes the time to recognise these unsung heroines is long overdue.

It is shameful that 60 years have passed since Dame Vera starred in the movie We'll Meet Again in the middle of the war, and yet there is still no official memorial to the women who gave so much.

It is also astonishing that the crusade to put that right is based not in the heart of Whitehall but 200 miles north, here in York.

Thanks to Major David Robertson, based at Imphal Barracks, and his team, the women at war memorial is finally to become a reality.

There is still a long way to go. Another £175,000 has to be raised to buy a site close to the Cenotaph in London.

But the high-profile supporters of the monument, including the Queen, Princess Anne and Betty Boothroyd, should guarantee its success.

And Dame Vera's involvement comes at just the right time. She has given the project extra momentum at the start of the year.

It is our fervent hope that the memorial to the women of the war can be unveiled before 2002 is out.

Updated: 10:44 Wednesday, January 02, 2002