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Ron and Rosemary, from Portsmouth, are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary and laugh together as they reminisce about meeting in 1958.

‘I was in the Marines when I met Rosemary,’ says Ron, originally from Rotherham, Yorkshire.

‘We did most of our courting by letter.’

A year later, the couple married at St James’ Church, Milton, on August 29, 1959.

Ron, 84, explains: ‘After we got married, I got drafted to Plymouth and then to Ipswich for 15 months.

‘I wanted Rosemary to come and live with me, but when I got posted to another ship she went back to Portsmouth to live with her mother.

‘After that, we decided to buy our own house in Fratton so Rosemary had a home while I was away on 18-month commissions.’

They had their first child Christopher in 1960 and Paul, Rachel and Sharon followed shortly after. As their children got older, Rosemary worked as a laboratory technician at Mayfield School.

‘After I came back from the Gulf, I joined a course that would get me out of the navy so I wouldn’t be deployed as much,’ says Ron.

‘But by the time our third child Rachel was on the way, I was sent to Singapore for 18 months.

‘I came back just in time for the England 1966 World Cup final – I remember that because Rosemary bought a TV so I could watch it.’

When Ron retired at 74 years old, the couple had to decide whether they stayed in Portsmouth or moved back to Ron’s home county of Yorkshire.

Ron says: ‘Rosemary asked me if I wanted to go back to Rotherham, she said it was up to me.

‘I didn’t want to leave Portsmouth because it’s my home now. All of my friends and family are here.’

The Hadleys have 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Ron enjoys gardening and Rosemary used to help out at the Guides and sing at church choirs.

To celebrate their diamond anniversary, the couple were surprised with a party at the Masonic Hall, Cosham, on August 31.

‘It was lovely to see all of our family there,’ says Ron.

‘We walked in and there was this great big cheer from around 100 people who had come to celebrate our anniversary with us.

‘We didn’t know a thing!’

Their daughter Rachel Lawner, who helped plan the surprise party for a year, says: ‘Both of their jaws just dropped. My mum just burst out crying and they were both gobsmacked.

‘It was brilliant.’

The Hadleys also enjoyed a cruise in the Meditteranean.