Ken and Vera celebrate 75 years of marriage

In January, Blesma Member Kenneth Foster (97) and his wife Vera (92) celebrated their 75^th wedding anniversary with a reception hosted by Sheffield’s Lord Mayor, in his Parlour at the Sheffield Town Hall.

Blesma organised the event to commemorate the loving couple’s diamond wedding anniversary.

The occasion was made particularly poignant as the couple were unable to have a honeymoon following their wedding, due to the events of WW2. In attendance was Capt. Malcolm Birkett MBE of Burma Coy, who presented a Regimental cap badge plaque to acknowledge Ken’s service in the War.

Ken, a former Sheffield steel mill worker, was turned down when he tried to enlist, as his job was vital to the war effort. He therefore left his job and worked as a labourer before being accepted into the Highland Light infantry and then West the Yorkshire Regiment.

While the Allied forces pressed home their attack after the D-Day landings near Bayeux, Ken sustained a life-changing injury after being hit with Anti-tank gunfire on Sword Beach during Operation Overlord.

I was taking instructions from a tank driver when we were hit. I was unlucky.

Blesma Member Ken

“I was taking instructions from a tank driver when we were hit. I was unlucky.” recalls Ken.  

Whilst recovering from his amputation in a field hospital, Ken only had thoughts of an 18-year-old Vera. At the field hospital Ken’s wound was dressed and then his leg was amputated. The Army Padre wrote to Vera on Ken’s behalf.

“I was more worried losing Vera than my leg!” Ken recalls, as he was worried Vera would rebuff him because of his amputation. “Ken thought I would pack up with him because many injured men were receiving letters from wives or sweethearts leaving them. It’s the man himself who counts, it doesn’t matter what he loses.” says former nursery nurse Vera. 

When Vera went to visit Ken for Christmas, it surprised her that he had received a special licence to get married. “I knew we would wed at some point, so I agreed,” said Vera. The 21-year-old Private Ken Foster married Vera at St Cecilia’s Church in Sheffield on 30 December 1944.