The popular song of the time was My Dreams Are Getting Better Every Day – and that’s certainly proved true for Les and Iris Bewley who reached a momentous milestone this week.

The pair had more reasons than most for rejoicing at the end of the war being one of the first couples to wed after VE Day. And as a result they celebrated an amazing 70 years of marriage on Tuesday – their platinum anniversary.

Les and Iris, aged 92 and 90 respectively from Malthouse Lane in Shorne, met while serving in the Army working at an ammunition factory during the Second World War.

They credit the success of their marriage to both sharing the same interests like classical music, gardening and bird watching.

The two have spent a lifetime travelling around the world together as part of Les’s job as an industrial chemist checking up on projects in countries like Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia. He retired 32 years ago.

Since then the couple settled down for a quiet life in the village of Shorne more than 20 years ago where they keep busy looking after their ornate garden.

They are now oldest of four generations in their family and have seen the birth of three children, nine grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren with another expected in October.

Iris, born in Newcastle, has fond memories of working in the munitions factory where she blew Les’s heart away.

“I went into the Army more or less straight from school,” she said. “It was really good and the chaps that I worked with were smashing. They looked after us girls and you never heard them swear – unlike today!”

Les, born in Portsmouth, and Iris first met there in early 1943, and after two years together Les decided it was time to pop the question.

“I remember going to the jeweller’s shop Leamington Spa to buy her a ring. It cost a lot of money – about £12,” Les said jokingly.

“I was only on around 12 shillings a day at that point, that’s probably about 60p in today’s money!”

During his war service, Les spent a lot of time working abroad in countries like Egypt and Greece clearing up ammunition that had been left on battlegrounds.

“We were clearing up ammunition from all over the place,” said Les. “We would save up the ones we could use and destroy the ones we couldn’t.”

“I can remember poking sticks at anti-aircraft shells and then blowing them up.”

The bride and groom did not have much money for a fancy wedding, but what they lacked in money they made up for in the numbers of friends and family who came to see them away at a small church in Cosham near Portsmouth.

Les said: “The King provided me with my wedding uniform but Iris had to borrow hers. The bouquet was made up of flowers from the local shop and we had the reception and dance in the local village hall.”

He added that he suffered from no last-minute nerves as Iris walked up the aisle. “I was cool, calm, and collected,” he said.

Three years after that day they had their first child, Joyce, now 67, one of many births which would see the Bewley family grow into a huge tree of 23.

When asked what the secret was to a happy marriage, Les said: “Sharing a common interest with someone. Iris and I both enjoy classical music and we both love to travel – but to be honest if there ever was a secret it is news to me!”

The platinum couple celebrated their big day with a meal with family members at The Knowle Country House in Higham.