Wall Heath musician collects wartime music

The collection from the First and Second World Wars has been gathered by John Sparry over the past 25 years.

Jazz musician Mr Sparry decided to dig out the pristine collection in honour of Dame Vera Lynn who celebrated her 100th birthday this week.

Songs by Vera Lynn in the collection include If I Had My Way and That Lovely Weekend.

Mr Sparry said: "I've been collecting these for over 25 years, they're all from the First and Second World Wars and they all have their own story.

"In the collection there's one called Some Chicken, Some Neck which was inspired by then Prime Minister Winston Churchill's Ottawa speech.

"There's The Handsome Territorial, whose words are by Jimmy Kennedy who wrote the words to the Teddy Bear's picnic.

"Ma I Miss Your Apple Pie was a song for soldiers far from home.

"Adolf is a song by Annette Mills, sister of John Mills and originator of TV's Muffin the Mule."

The collection have songs from both world wars with the oldest dating back to the 1910s.

Mr Sparry is unsure of their current value, only knowing their original cost, ranging from an old sixpence to a shilling.

This collection was shown for the first time to mark Dame Vera Lynn's landmark birthday this week and she is credited as a source of inspiration for soldiers and their loved ones during World War Two, due to her uplifting songs.

During her early 1920s she became widely known as the 'Forces’ Sweetheart' after she travelled long distances, often at great personal risk, to entertain troops and provide them with messages of hope.

To celebrate her 100th birthday, Dame Vera released an album on Friday featuring new re-orchestrated versions of her most beloved music alongside her original vocals.

It is thought the collection made Dame Vera the first singer to have released a new album as a centenarian.