BOTH VOICE AND SIGHT LOST.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16433, 29 January 1919, Page 5

BOTH VOICE AND SIGHT LOST.

A DRAMATIC RECOVERY,

To lose both voice and' sight is a tragic enough circjmstanco in all ordinary conditions. For an actor it is something more. Such, however, was the experience of Mr Percy Claridge during his three and a half years' absence from the J. C. Williamson firm on active service. He is liack again now with the Royal Comic Opera Company playing at tho Theatre Royal, in Sydney. "I think,'' he said, "I wass the first J. C. W. principal to enlist, just as I am one of the first to return. It was in the last bi£ offensive on the Somme that I was hit in the back. result, for tho time being, I lost both my sight and voice. , About sesven weeks later I was pottering round the hospital as best I could, and was guided into one of the wards where they were holding an impromptu concert. I could r-till hear, of course, and was enjoying myself as' thoroughly as I coul3, when I caught a familiar strain. " 'Here, I must sing that!' wats the r.cst thing that those about me heard. And to their vast astonishment I rose from my wheeled ehair ; made to the platform, and started in to sing the song. It was a bit ragged at first, but the encouraging applause of those who had been aware of my previous infirmity must have heartened me, for I finished in first-class fashion. After that, of course, I was rather weak, but it was tho turning point to a rapid and complete recovery of my voice ami sight. Actually I believe the former is now stronger than ever. "This has not been my first experience of fighting', as I hold the and King's medals for South Africa,, also the ribbon for the, Zulu rebellion.*' Mr Claridge was originally engaged to appear in "The Girl in the Taxi," after touring India and South Africa. He enlisted, however, after having beefli in Australia for about sis weeks. ,