He wrote to Dame Vera to inquire about her Irish ancestry. Dame Vera responded, stating she had ancestors from Dublin on her mother's side. Simon Martin, hailing from the Glaswegian region, was her grandpa. Dame Vera informed him in a letter dated 2012 that she'd only met them once, many years ago. She didn't mention how they had communicated with each other. Now, it is possible that Dame Vera lied in this letter. After all, she was a patriotic British woman during the height of the World War II era. It isn't outside the realm of possibility that she might have tried to curry favor with Simon Martin by claiming an Irish connection. However, it is also possible that she told the truth. After all, there are records showing that her grandparents were married in Ireland. This would make her lineage Irish, regardless of what she claimed in her letter. In any case, it seems clear that Vera Lynn's family history is mixed, with roots in both Ireland and England. This explains why some sources claim that she was born in London while others say she was born in Southhampton, England. She grew up listening to the radio and watching television broadcasts from both countries as they went to war. This must have left an impression on her at a very young age because she claimed in a 2002 interview that she had always felt connected to two different worlds: Britain and Ireland.