Wedding had to wait for wartime couple

Mar 28 2008 by Wendy Horton, South Wales Echo

IT WAS love at first sight when Harry Pauling met Vera while working in a factory in 1941.

More than six decades later, the devoted couple are living proof that true love stands the test of time as tomorrow they celebrate their diamond wedding.

However, the happy ending wasn’t always in sight, for just after they met, Harry, whose full name is Albert Henry, received his army call-up and was sent off to war.

It was not until he came back home that he married Vera at St David’s Church in Fleur de Lys near Bargoed.

Harry, 84, said: “It was love at first sight.

“But we didn’t get married straight away because I didn’t want to make Vera a widow with me going off in the army.

“So we had a long engagement and got married a year after I came back.”

Harry then carried on working in the factory which was then the Northern Aluminium Company in Rogerstone, while Vera brought up their son William.

The couple, who live in Melbourne Court, Cefn Fforest, also have three grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Vera, 84, who worked for 20 years as a cook at Bedwellty Grammar School, near Aberbargoed, said: “We have really had a good married life together.

“We’ve had some ups and downs but we really have had some good times.”

The couple are intending to celebrate during a night out with family and friends tonight and are planning a celebratory meal tomorrow.

They have both recently recovered from knee operations but Harry still continues to enjoy a little gardening despite a triple heart bypass a number of years ago.

wendy.horton@mediawales.co.uk