MARRIED in Japan, honeymoon in Hong Kong. Fast forward 60 years and Bob and Joy Kinny are living in Port Macquarie more in love than ever.
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The two ex-army personnel met late in 1955 as Joy's English troop ship arrived in Japan on Christmas Eve.
"As the base engineer Bob knew all the comings and goings of the dock, so he knew our troop shop had just arrived," she said.
With a group of other nurses, Joy was told all off-duty personnel were to attend a New Year's Eve function.
"I happened to be off-duty and went along, there were half a dozen of we girls and we all lined up like crows on a fence.
"One of them said 'a fellow over there has his eye on one of us' and when I looked up Bob was walking over to ask me to dance," Joy said.
The two danced the night away and Bob spent the rest of the evening with the newly-arrived nurses.
"Then he turned up to the ward the next morning, supposedly to visit one of his men," Joy laughed.
"I had an excuse because I had one of my men in there from operations," Bob explained.
Excuse or not, Bob offered to take the newly-arrived ladies for a tour in his "MASH look-alike" Jeep.
"From then on when I was available so was Bob because he was basically his own boss. We used to go to a little coffee shop down in town," she said.
"It was about 20 miles by road from Hiroshima," Bob said.
Four months after the two met, they walked down a little garrison church aisle in Kure and were married on April 26.
"Bob was able to organise for us to go down on a troop ship to Hong Kong for our honeymoon straight after the wedding. I had a friend of mine nursing there so we were able to see her.
"We only stayed about a week because we had to catch the next troop ship back," Joy said.
Although the two nearly spent their honeymoon with the Japanese police.
"Somebody hung old boots and cans on the back of our wedding car and it was reported to the police; they chased the car but didn't catch us before we got to the port," he said.
Joy had to leave the army once she was married, but stayed in Japan with Bob until he was posted back to Australia in October of 1956.
"I had a honeymoon baby, and eventually three children under three (Robert, Richard and Susan). That kept me busy which was good because I didn't have time to be homesick," Joy said. "And my career didn't finish after I was married though I continued on nursing in Australia.
"Fortunately I had wonderful parents-in-law that looked after me while Bob was away."
After floating all around the Australian country side throughout the years, Joy and Bob found Tamworth to be a beautiful home.
"But the climate was not right for bob so we looked from Coffs Harbour to Nelson Bay and Port Macquarie won hands down; we've been over here since 1994," she said.
Throughout the years Bob has been heavily involved in the Lions Club, holding president in Tamworth and treasurer in Port Macquarie.
"I was involved with the View Club, Meals on Wheels and I was a Lions Lady and Lioness in Port Macquarie," Joy said.
The family enjoyed a sit down lunch at the Sails to celebrate the 60-year milestone.