Worthing blind veteran to mark Remembrance Sunday on his doorstep, instead of at The Cenotaph

David Tutt, 76, will be standing on his doorstep, alongside his neighbours, at 11am on Sunday, and will later have the opportunity to get together with other blind veterans at ‘listen and join in’ virtual parties.

He had been due to march at The Cenotaph as part of the national Remembrance Sunday commemorations with more than 100 other men and women supported by Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-service men and women.

David joined the London Rifle Brigade as part of the Territorial Army in 1962 and served as a Rifleman until 1967.

He said: “I absolutely loved my time in the Army. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. I only left to join the Merchant Navy but unfortunately failed the medical because I’m deaf.”

David lost his sight due to macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of sight loss in the UK.

“I first started to notice funny things with my eyes about five years ago,” he explained. “I went to the opticians and they sent me straight to the hospital, where I was told that I was losing my sight.