Eloping to Singapore

We got married in the Australian High Commission Singapore on 16 March 1979 - "The Ides of March".

We eloped.  The Ambassador's wife made a big thing out of staff getting married.

We did not want this. So we I took a week's leave in Penang and Singapore; Got married on the Friday; and came back to work on the Monday.

We had the ceremony in a small conference room within the Australian High Commission.

Snakes Goodwin (Saigon and Brussels) was the celebrant, Dave Smith (Jakarta) was the Best Man and Chris Smith (nee Theodore (Jakarta) Maid of Honour.

Carmel did not know them.

Snakes invited other DFAT people whom I also knew - Norm and Doreen Pont (Jakarta); Bob Koehne (AIDAB Canberra) and Dave Connelly and Len ????.

Most knew me as The Eligible Bachelor.

Snakes was standing there clutching his ceremonial verse book and looking dignified and official.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" he said most solemnly ... then he broke into biggest grin:

"Iiiit giiiivves me greaaaat pleaaaaaassure!"

There was a roar of laughter and then the formalities.

I had an attack of the nerves.  I trembled and shook uncontrollably and the ceremony had to stop until I regained my composure.

A dozen jeroboams of champagne courtesy of the team (each bottle = 3 litres) appeared.  It was about 4pm.

......

Raffles Hotel

Around midnight at a restaurant in Raffles Hotel where we were staying, a very patient and sober new wife kissed me on the forehead, then said she was going to bed but insisted I stay there with my friends.

"Good Night and Good Luck" She said