A BLIND veteran from Worcester marched at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday with the charity that supported him when he lost his sight.
Steve Brown, from St Peter’s, marched with his lifelong friend and fellow former Marine Alan Thomas in London with more than 100 other blind veterans.
Joined at the hip since they were three years old, Steve and Alan qualified as Royal Marines in 1972 and were put together in 42 Commando based in Plymouth.
Together they served in all the same places including operational tours in Northern Ireland, the Mediterranean and patrolled with the NATO Western flank Forces.
Steve started losing his sight in 1990 when he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a disease of the optic nerve that causes sight loss. He was told he would be totally blind in five years.
The 62-year-old learnt about Blind Veterans UK and started receiving free help and support in 2015 after attending an introduction week at the charity’s training and rehabilitation centre in Llandudno.
Steve said: “When I went into the Marines I wanted to tell Alan but couldn’t find him back home.
“Then during my first week in the Forces I walked into the Mess and he was there. It turns out he’d joined two weeks before me!
“Marching with Alan made a special day and experience even more extraordinary.
“Everything was very well organised throughout the weekend with Blind Veterans UK and we got smoothly to Horse Guards.
“We marched off proudly after the two minutes silence and the crowds once again were amazing.
“Marching through the arches and being greeted by the crowds, some of whom had been standing there since 7.30 am, was incredibly humbling.
“In that moment I wasn’t sure I was going to hold it together.
“Being saluted by Prince Charles was special for Alan and me as we served with him for six months on HMS Hermes in America.”
Visit noonealone.org.uk for more information on Blind Veterans UK or call 0800 389 7979.
