Swindon Blind Veterans to March at the Cenotaph This Remembrance Sunday
Two blind veterans from Swindon will take part in the Remembrance Sunday march at the Cenotaph in London, supported by Blind Veterans UK. Peter Kay, 69, and Bob Clarke, 61, will join about 40 other blind veterans in the national commemorations.
Peter Kay’s Story
Peter served in the Territorial Army for 18 years as a workshop manager with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. His deployments included training exercises such as Operation Lionheart in 1984. He lost his sight at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 due to cataracts and optic nerve damage.
“Within a week, I’d lost my sight completely and made the decision to go for private treatment, which diagnosed optic nerve damage,” said Peter. “I was black blind at first with no sight at all, but fortunately, with medication, I got a little bit of my sight back.”
Bob Clarke’s Journey
Bob joined the RAF at 16 in 1981 and served as an aircraft engineer for ten years. After his service, he worked in the aircraft industry and also pursued a career in archaeology. In 2019, he was diagnosed with glaucoma and lost his sight overnight.
“I was diagnosed with glaucoma in 2019 and lost my sight overnight,” Bob shared.
Commemorating Remembrance Sunday
Both veterans will march together alongside other blind veterans to honor those who served, marking a poignant moment of national remembrance.
Author’s summary: Two blind veterans from Swindon, Peter Kay and Bob Clarke, will honor Remembrance Sunday by marching at the Cenotaph, highlighting courage despite sight loss caused by different conditions.