Couple returns to South Africa for 60th anniversary (From Enfield Independent)

Couple returns to South Africa for 60th anniversary

11:29am Thursday 1st November 2007

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A WINCHMORE Hill couple who were married in South Africa returned to the country this month to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.

Doug and Annette Elliott were married in Port Elizabeth in October 1947 after meeting by chance in Hertfordshire during the Second World War.

They returned to South Africa to celebrate 60 years of marriage, booking into their honeymoon hotel, the Fairy Knowe, in Wilderness, on the Western Cape.

Mr Elliott, 85, who was born in South Africa and Mrs Elliott, 80, born in Bush Hill Park, met for the first time at a guide camp in 1943.

Mr Elliott was in the South African Navy, seconded to the British Royal Navy, and was on weekend leave at the time.

Mr Elliott said: "My cou-sin was one of the guides. I had weekend leave and went to visit relatives. I saw this young lady come across and I asked my sister who it was. When she told me it was the medical officer, I said I did feel ill, but they wouldn't let me call her over."

A month later, in Grange Park, the two met again, but this time Mr Elliott had graduated to the rank of officer.

Mr Elliott said: "The next time she saw me I was in officer's uniform and that clinched it."

Mr Elliott left Britain in 1944 to serve in the war and the couple were separated for three years.

In autumn 1947, Mrs Elliott made the two-week journey alone to Port Elizabeth to be married, although, unbeknown to her, her mother and step-father were on the next ship.

Mrs Elliott said: "It was a wonderful thing because they were the only two people I knew in the church and they stayed for quite a while."

Two years later the newly-married Mr and Mrs Elliott moved to Enfield and their current house in Winchmore Hill.

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