The moment I knew: he arranged a stay at a motel. In 1969 this was very risque, but I had zero hesitation

‘I was so smitten with John, there’s no doubt we rushed into things’: Phillipa and John on their wedding day in 1969 Composite: The Guardian

I grew up in the bush, and in 1966, as soon as I was old enough, I ran off and joined the navy. I loved the job and was having a ball. Three years in I was offered a rare opportunity to train for a top-secret role at a base in Queensland. Me and the two other girls were to be deployed to Singapore 12 weeks later. That was before my radio broke down.

One afternoon, midway through my stay in Queensland, I had some issues with my electronics and called for a technician. I’d expected to get my radio repaired and get on with the day, but then the most gorgeous guy I’d ever seen walked right in and changed the course of my life.