THE BLIND BATTALION.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1918, Page 8

THE BLIND BATTALION.

OTHER BATTALIONS WHICH MAY OOME TO THEIR AID. To the Editor. Siiy—Many of your readers will be wondering bow many men have lost their sight in the war. There ara now on the rofi of St. Dunstan's just over 1000 men, more than half of whom are in residence, while the remainder 'have been trained and settled at their homes, or are still in hospital. Of these men 12 aro New Zealanders.

One thousand - men—that is to say, the strength of a. battalion. When one pictures them drawn up together one realises how terrible is the toll that has been paid. All these men in the very prime of their manhood condemned to live in enduring 'darkness. The immensity of the tragedy would bo appalling were it not for the, amaring courage of these men. Eor> if one pictures the Mind battalion marching by one~must picture them with heads erect, marching resolute, cheerful, firm-set on the conquest of all the difficulties which they must encounter.

They are fighters still. The spirit which made them valiant in battle animates them now. Even in hospital their courage returns. They hear of the ethers who have passed on, who have triumphed over the obstacles that face them in the darkness, who, after a few months' training, have already returned to their homes, worker', earning their own livinsr. cheerful, useful, normal citizens, making the more of every other faculty because t'hev are deprived of one. The Battalion of the Blind! It is.not morel-,- an expression. The name of St Dunstan's comes to have a sfracu'l significance like the name of a regiment. You notice the esprit de corps among the men who are there, and those who leave, to go to their homes still belong to St. Dunstan's.

It is quite a wrong idea to think of the blinded soldiers living in a woi-Wof their own —the very object of the training at St. Dunstairs is to make them take their place confidently beside other men and women, peculiar only because? they eannf>t sec, as others lack this or that advantage which tboir neighbors possess. At the same time these blinded soldiers do form a community—they have beecn through similar experiences, together they have begun life over again, learning one might almost say to w:>lk, learning to read and write in a new way, learnin-7—as clumsily at first as a child —to make things without seeing, be"iimin" in an astonishingly short time, accomplished craftsmen. They have lived together and helped cn£ another.

The Kind Uattalion is composed of men who since they can serve no more as soldiers will nevertheless make their jmnvk in the army of industry • In the bliml world ilr-olf these men, ■most of them quite young, full of vigor in ' resolution, represent a new factor that has for all others inspirationThe Blind Uattalion will inevitably awaken a fresh interest in the welfare of tlfe whole blind community. Its members cannot he left to fend for themselves. They have the courage to overcome their handicap, they haye. the resolution to go forward in tho battle of life—but it is ever against odds, and because they are blind there must always be need of the helping hand. The organisation for tlieiv ar'tor-enre h.T> .been carefully planned on practical and business-like lines, and the men of this Blind Dnttalinn, like tho men at the front, must in the end rely for success on the whole-hearted support of tho public.

Will those of ynur readers who sympathise with tliem unci with the efforts which ore beinsr made for their present and fntura welfare, contribute or raise C s. 'l. battalions in aid? A battalion of sovereigns moans £innO; a l>nttalio n .of half-crowns means £l-25; a battalion of shillings—£r.»; a ivntnlion of pennies—.ft 3s 4d; a battalion of half-pennies— •£» Is ?d; oven a 'ipttalion of farthings represents over a sovereign. Tl'p men of the Tilind Battalion rmhesitatinjrly placed themselves at the disposal of tlieir . country. 'lf their country will as nnliesifatinnlv plane :G b. <l. battalions at, their disposal it will bo possible to arrange for their present and their future in a manner commensurate with the sacrifice which thov have made.

£ s. d. battalions should bo sent to -the treasurer, St. Duncan's, Regent's Park, X.W 1. • AUTTIUR PKMI'OS, Chairman Bhtvied «obliovK' and Sailors' Care Committee.