Hampshire Blind Veteran to Commemorate Fallen on Remembrance Sunday

Graham Grange, a blind veteran from Hampshire and resident of Southampton, will be among numerous individuals honoring the fallen at war memorials this Remembrance Sunday. Mr. Grange enlisted with the Coldstream Guards in 1962, serving as a musician who played the trombone and violin at various ceremonial events, including Trooping the Colour. At the age of 11, he was awarded a music scholarship to Winchester College. He joined the Army because it offered him the chance to pursue music professionally. Now 77 years old, Mr. Grange has received support from the Blind Veterans UK charity since 2010 and is accompanied by his guide dog, Lylah. Mr. Grange began experiencing vision loss at 50 years old and was subsequently diagnosed with macular degeneration. He shared, “One day, I found I was no longer able to read and that is the thing I miss the most. I’m still able to play the piano though as my hands instinctively know where to go. As long as I start in the right place then I end in the right place.” He further explained, “I can no longer see anything clearly; I am aware that objects are near me but there is no clarity.” He plans to remember those who died while serving in the armed forces. “Remembrance Day is a time of deep reflection. Remembering the very brave souls who fought, who died, and who gave their all to give us our freedom. Without their bravery and sacrifice, we wouldn’t be living the life we are today,” Mr. Grange stated. He added, “We owe it to all those people to remember.” Mr. Grange indicated that he has received “invaluable support” from the charity over the past 14 years. He elaborated, “The moral support they provide is just as important to me as the material items that help me practically such as a reader that enables me to read my own post.” He continued, “The encouragement, care and interest from the staff who work at the charity has been my mainstay. I live on my own but I know if I’m at my wits’ end, I can talk to someone and they will be kind enough to listen.” For updates, BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight can be followed on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. This content is copyrighted by BBC, 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its policy on external linking.