'˜Wunderbar!' Sixty years of marriage

Gordon and Mary Watson met while Gordon was serving at RAF Sylt in 1955.

Mary was a housekeeper for an RAF officer’s family at the station and it was Gordon’s job to security vet her. Later, they met again, in the town of Westerland at a social event.

“We seemed to click very quickly and that was it,” said Gordon, now 81.

The couple married in Westerland the following year – twice on the same day. German law required a registeroffice ceremony, but they also chose to have a church service.

Of their 60 years’ marriage, Gordon said: “It’s amazing where time goes.”

During Gordon’s 27 years with the RAF, he and Mary had 16 addresses across five countries, before settling in Leasingham and concluding his service at the RAF Police School at RAF Newton.

“Looking back, it was lovely,” said Mary, 82.

They recently held a tea party at Leasingham Village Hall to celebrate their diamond wedding. Family guests, spanning four generations, included three of Mary’s German family – one of whom was her bridesmaid.

They agreed that the secret to a long marriage is “give and take”.