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Finally married! Teenage sweethearts separated during World War Two tie the knot almost 70 years on
- Bob Humphries, 89 and Bernie Bluett, 87 met as teenagers in South Wales
- Mr Humphries sent love letters including a marriage proposal that were intercepted by his sweetheart's parents
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They became teenage sweethearts on a summer holiday – only to be cruelly separated by the outbreak of the Second World War.
Then Bob Humphries and Bernie Bluett lost touch altogether when her disapproving parents kept his love� letters from her, one of which included a marriage proposal.
Now, nearly 70 years after that letter was sent and more than 80 years after they met, Mr Humphries, 89, and Mrs Bluett, 87, have tied the knot.
At last: Bob Humphries and Bernie Bluett step out of St. John's church in Somerset as man and wife- after spending nearly 70 years apart
Playing the long game: The couple reunited last year and rekindled their romance, which was cut short when Mr Humphries was enlisted
Overjoyed: The newlyweds were joined by their respective families to celebrate their special day. Mrs Bluett said: 'Love has taken its sweet time'
Mrs Bluett said: ‘The important thing 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. Love has taken its sweet time – but I can safely say that we won’t be raising any children together.’
The pair met when Mr Humphries’s family starting going on holiday to the village of Appledore, North Devon, where Mrs Bluett’s family lived.
Mrs Bluett admitted she teased him after they met but began to look at him in a new light when he returned for a final holiday aged 18, after he had joined the Army.
She said: ‘When I saw him when I was 17, and he was 18, and he was this handsome soldier in khakis and the hormones were running wild, I thought I’m going to marry that man one day.’
Lifelong love: The couple met aged 17 and 18.� Bernie joined the Women's RAF in South Wales and Bob was enilisted with the 3rd Para Squadron Royal Engineers in Yorkshire
Here comes the bride: Bernie Bleutt alinks arms with her son Mark� as she arrives at the church in Pawlett, Somerset. She later emerges with her new husband
The look of love: Bernie Bluett glances at her new husband on the steps of the church. The 88-year-old said: 'When circumstances brought us closer together, we finally got married after all these years'
The stuff of movies: In true Hollywood style, Mr Humphries' ardent love letters were hidden by his sweetheart's disapproving parents
The couple started dating but lost touch when Mrs Bluett joined the Women’s RAF and moved to South Wales, and Mr Humphries was enlisted with the 3rd Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers in Yorkshire.
For two years Mrs Bluett waited for a reply to her letters, not realising her parents had stepped in to end the romance.
She eventually married Roy Bluett, an RAF pilot for whom she cared as a military nurse, and moved to New Zealand to begin a new life.� Meanwhile, Mr Humphries married and moved to Somerset.
Mrs Bluett’s husband passed away 11 years ago and, shortly before Mr Humphries’s wife died last year, the pair got back in touch.
Love at first sight: Bernie Bluett said she fell for Bob the moment she laid eyes on him: 'He was this handsome soldier...I thought I'm going to marry this man one day.'
Epic love story: The couple now have a second chance at being together. They both went on to marry and raise families and were reuinted after Mr Humphries' wife died last year
Mrs Bluett’s daughter had searched for him online and found a local newspaper article about his life.
After striking up a correspondence, Mr Humphries proposed again, prompting Mrs Bluett to move to Pawlett in Somerset from New Zealand. She said: ‘When I saw him again, I saw that young soldier. We both feel young at heart.’
The pair, who have ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren between them, married at the weekend in front of friends and family.
Mr Humphries said: ‘Back in the Forties we were very much in love. It was the kind of love you never forget.
‘There have only ever been two women in my life. Bernie was the first and now she will be the last.’