The nefarious influence of Wikipedia (part 37). Several obituaries of the late, great Sir Norman Wisdom today included the claim that he co-wrote the lyrics to Dame Vera Lynn's wartime hit, (They'll be Bluebirds Over) the White Cliffs of Dover. Alas he did no such thing – the words were written by Nat Burton, according to the Dover Museum (and they should know). So how did the Daily Mirror suggest otherwise? Possibly because it said so on Wikipedia yesterday – a "spurious" piece of "vandalism" removed at about 3.30am today. The Independent made the same mistake, and the claim was also included (and then removed) by – full disclosure – the Guardian. Next you'll be saying the late Ronnie Hazlehurst co-wrote an S Club 7 hit, an earlier mistake prompted by the wacky world of Wikipedia.
