A LLANIDLOES couple who married in troubled times in India have celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary with a special party at the care home where they live.

Ninety-one-year-old Clarence ‘Clarrie’ and Emlyne ‘Lyn’ Wells, 87, who have lived in the Maes-y-Wennol residential home in Llanidloes since 2015, reached the milestone on Wednesday, 19 July, with a special celebration.

The couple, who met in Rohri in India in early 1947 while Clarrie was serving in the British Army, married soon after.

But shortly after the couple’s marriage they were forced to flee Lyn’s home country of India during the turbulent times of the Partition of India.

As they were trying to leave on a train in Lahore, paratrooper Clarrie’s troop had to form a shield around Lyn to protect her as violence broke out.

They left India by boat in September 1947, arriving in Southampton docks on 10 October.

They then spent time living in the Lincoln area before moving to Llanidloes.

They have lived in Llanidloes for almost 20 years, initially moving to the town in 1997 and moving into Maes-y-Wennol together when Clarrie’s dementia meant he was best cared for in a home.

After it was decided Clarrie needed to be cared for in a care home, Lyn decided to move to the home with her husband.

She said: “I’d had him by my side for over 60 years, and I wasn’t going to leave him then.”

The couple have shared their secret to a long-lasting marriage, with Lyn saying: “Never share a cross word, but instead share plenty of fun ones.”

Clarrie added: “Make sure you always agree on the most important things in life. Everything else is a compromise.”

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