A NAVY officer who served with Prince Philip is celebrating his diamond wedding.
Alexander and Violet Ingham marked their wedding anniversary on Monday.
The Dalton couple wed at Halifax Parish Church in 1948 after meeting when Mr Ingham was on leave from the Royal Navy.
They were introduced by Mrs Ingham’s brother, who was in the Army.
Mr Ingham’s first comments on meeting his wife-to-be were: “Oh yes, she’s a nice girl.”
A short time later the couple decided to get married and had a quiet family celebration and a day trip to Blackpool.
On her big day Mrs Ingham wore a white gown and veil and carried a bouquet of red carnations.
During the early years of their marriage Mr Ingham, a communications officer, served on HMS Whelp with Prince Philip.
Mr Ingham, 85, said: “I worked on the bridge with the prince.
“He was quiet and he would always go for a swim and be diving. I once ducked him under the water.”
The Inghams lived in Malta for two-and-a-half years but returned to England.
Mr Ingham became a firefighter in Halifax and a Coastguard in Devon.
He also played a couple of games for Huddersfield Town in 1947.
The couple have three children, Susan, Diane and Duncan, who passed away four years ago, and 10 grandchildren.
They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a family celebration organised by daughter-in-law Nadine.
Mrs Ingham, 83, said: “Alex and I have always trusted each other and we understand one another.
“You’ve got to be happy in a marriage and we have been.
“It doesn’t seem like 60 years at all; time certainly flies.”
