A COUPLE whose married life began with being separated by war, are celebrating an impressive 70 years of marriage.

Walter Duncan Baldock, who is known as Duncan, and Mabel Elsie Baldock, of Nether Poppleton, were married on Sunday, June 2, 1940, in Essex.

But shortly afterwards the couple were parted when Duncan had to return to serve in the army.

He served with the Rifle Brigade and the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in the desert campaign, Italy and Yugoslavia.

He would have taken part in the Normandy landings had he not been injured in an explosion.

It would be nearly five years until Duncan, 93, and Mabel, 95, would be reunited after the Second World War ended.

“It was a very long time to be separated,” said Duncan. “But I had to do it.”

The couple, who moved to York 21 years ago and now live in Nether Poppleton, first met in 1938 in Kent. Two years later the couple tied the knot.

After Duncan returned home from the war he initially worked for the water board in Kent before joining the Post Office alongside Mabel.

In February 1948, the couple had a son, Jeffrey, now 62.

Duncan and Mabel also have two grandchildren, Clare, 37, and Andrew, 34, and three great grandchildren, Francine, who is 14 today, Oscar, eight, and Netta, six.

Duncan said when he first saw Mabel he knew she was “the one”.

When asked the secret of a happy and long marriage he said: “Some people just click and that is what we do – just click. We keep young at heart also.

“Until a few years ago we went to weekly sequence dancing classes together.

“She is the love of my life.”

The couple will be celebrating their platinum anniversary by themselves quietly at home.