Visually impaired Glasgow veteran set to join Cenotaph parade

A visually impaired veteran from Pollok is preparing to march at the Cenotaph for the first time this Remembrance Sunday, fulfilling an ambition after years of watching the National Service of Remembrance on television.

Jim Morrison served with the Royal Highland Fusiliers, now part of the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland. He will join Sight Scotland Veterans at the London ceremony, following his brother, who has previously marched at the Cenotaph twice.

Morrison said he was excited about taking part, though unsure what to expect. His brother had described the experience to him, and Morrison said he was looking forward to seeing fellow veterans and being part of the occasion.

He has birdshot uveitis, a rare eye condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the eye. Morrison said that when he first learned of his visual impairment, he would not have thought marching at the Cenotaph would be possible.

The Hawkhead Centre, run by Sight Scotland Veterans, has supported Morrison. He attends weekly and said he valued the staff and the companionship among veterans. He described the atmosphere as bringing back some of the camaraderie of military life.

Morrison said the organisation helps veterans with sight loss get out of the house and take part in activities they might not have imagined managing. He expressed gratitude for the support he had received and said the Cenotaph parade was one example of what that assistance had made possible.

He had not marched for years, although parades were part of his Army service. Morrison said remembrance mattered because it helped ensure the sacrifices of those who died were not forgotten. He sees taking part as a way of helping keep those memories alive and honouring those who gave their lives so others could live in freedom.

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