WEDDING SURPRISE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 171, 21 July 1943, Page 4

WEDDING SURPRISE

SUBSTITUTE GROOMSMAN BROTHER AMI SISTER MEET 10.C.) SYDNEY, July 16. : A million-to-one chance resulted in the meeting, after eight year.-', of a brother and sister at the sister s wedding The wedding took place in St. j Andrew's Cathedral. The bride s brother. Corporal Eric .Mitchell. recentlv returned after service overseas with the A.1.F., and await-; ing a train to rejoin his unit, witnessed the arrival of the bridal | party, and followed it into the Cathedra! out of curiositv. •H the last moment, the official groomsman was unable to obtain leave. The gro*n. Private T. A. Hoare (A.1.F.). anxious for an military wedding, looked round church' and, seeing a soldier sitting in one'of the back pews, explained his dilemma, and asked if he would mind substhi .ing for his absent friend. The soldier readly agrc cl. j little dreaming that it was has own , sister's wedding at which n was ■ being asked to officiate. | Mrs. Hoare said later: "During the wedding ceremony I had no idea it \ was Eric who was standing near me at the altar I did not even know he was back in Australia. 1 was perhaps a little nervous and doubtless had no eves for anyone but my husband and the minister. It was not: until after the ceremony, when signing the register in the vestry, that I happened to look up and recognise my brother standing nearby. My brother was just as surprised as I. ; He told me that the bridal veil had partially hidden my face, and that it was only after walking into the vestry he realised who I was."