Bob Humphries, 89 and 87 year-old Bernie Bluett fell in love when they were teenagers but lost touch during the Second World War when he joined the army and her disapproving parents failed to pass on his love letters.
Mrs Bluett, who enlisted as a military nurse in the RAF, later married a pilot and emigrated to New Zealand, while Mr Humphries married wife Beryl.
When I was 17, I thought “I’m going to marry that man one day”
Although the pair ended up spending most of their lives on opposite sides of the world, they got back in touch after they were both widowed and now live together in Somerset.
Mrs Bluett said: ‘When I was 17, I thought “I’m going to marry that man one day” but I never said a word to anyone.’
‘When I saw him again I didn’t see an old man – I saw that young soldier. We both feel young at heart.’
We both feel young at heart
Mr Humphries said: ‘The important thing - the meaning of all this really - is that we met all those years ago and it must have really left some sort of impression.
‘And when circumstances brought us closer together we finally got married after all these years.’
The couple, who have ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren between them, will get married in Pawlett, near Bridgewater, Somerset on Saturday.