In the Mind's Eye: The Blinded Veterans of St Dunstan's

by David Castleton

Overview

Discover the stories of the men and women who sacrificed their sight for their country. Since 1915 St Dunstan's (now Blind Veterans UK) has helped thousands of war-blinded men and women to rejoin society and live their lives to the full. This compelling book includes new research from the St Dunstan's archive and previously untold stories of the people, both blind and sighted, involved in the charity during the First and Second World Wars. St Dunstan's was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson, a blind press baron determined to prove that the blind could make a valuable contribution to society. Early St Dunstaners played football against Arsenal; learned to read braille, type, row and even shoot; and trained for new careers as masseurs, carpenters, switchboard operators and gardeners. As PR officer at St Dunstan's for 35 years, David Castleton worked with many of the men and women whose stories he tells in his book, and provides a unique insight into their achievements. Meet irrepressible Tommy Milligan, who lost his sight just months after enlisting on his eighteenth birthday, and Ian Fraser, blinded on the Somme, but later president of St Dunstan's. David Bell, who lost his hands and sight in a North African mine-field, yet found hope and a wife at St Dunstan's. War-blinded servicewomen also joined the charity during the Second World War, including 22-year-old Gwen Obern, blinded and maimed in a factory accident but later famed for her singing, and ATS sergeant Barbara Bell, who became a top physiotherapist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473829954
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/31/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	180
File size:	13 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

David Castleton spent most of his working life as PR Officer of St Dunstan's (now Blind Veterans UK). He joined in 1960 and retired after 33 years of complete enjoyment in his job. David previously worked for The Times, as well as Stafford Picton Public Relations, and also served as ground crew for the RAF. At St Dunstan's, he found working with and for war-blinded ex-service men and women inspirational and exciting. He still numbers many friends among these people and this led him to write In the Mind's Eye.

Table of Contents

Foreword Robert Leader vii

Prologue viii

Chapter 1 Pearson's Vision 1

Chapter 2 Regent's Park and Rehabilitation' 4

Chapter 3 St Dunstan's Versus Arsenal 15

Chapter 4 After-care and Independence 21

Chapter 5 Appeals and Arguments 30

Chapter 6 'The Stayer's Handicap' 36

Chapter 7 'A Byword for the Blind at Home and Overseas' 41

Chapter 8 The King is Dead, Long Live the King! 46

Chapter 9 Government Inquiry 53

Chapter 10 The 1930s: Recession and Retrenchment 60

Chapter 11 The Quest for Independent Mobility 67

Chapter 12 Talking Books 71

Chapter 13 A Centre Designed for the Blind 74

Chapter 14 The World at War Again 78

Chapter 15 Church Stretton 85

Chapter 16 Bombs on London 96

Chapter 17 Prisoners of War 99

Chapter 18 Survival in the Far East 107

Chapter 19 Tembani: 'Home from Home' 118

Chapter 20 Women at St Dunstan's 124

Chapter 21 Working in a Sighted World 134

Chapter 22 Physiotherapy - the Ideal Profession 143

Chapter 23 'Handy Andies': the Deaf and Blind 148

Chapter 24 Research 152

Conclusion: The Blind Leading the Blind 163

Acknowledgements 165

Roll of Honour 166

Bibliography 169

Index 170