THE son of a soldier who was blinded by a mine blast has thanked a blind charity for their 'never ending' support.

David Holmes, 67, of Lydney, remembers the support his father Winston (Alf) Holmes received by the leading military charity, Blind Veterans UK, after the blast in Italy in 1944 while serving with the Royal Engineers.

His thanks come as the charity, formerly named St Dunstan's, continue to promote its key No One Alone campaign. The campaign aims to reach out to at least 68,000 blind veterans who could be eligible for its free, lifelong and comprehensive support, but are not as yet aware of this.

Mr Holmes, who grew up in Stonehouse, near Stroud, lived in a house that was supplied by Blind Veterans UK; the national charity for blind ex-service men and women. Founded in 1915 as St Dunstan's, the charity provides exceptional support to blind veterans as well as to their families.

David, who is a poet, writer and broadcaster, says: "I don't know what we would have a done as a family without the support of Blind Veterans UK, or St Dunstan's as it was known then. We literally wouldn't have had a roof over our heads. The charity's support has been never ending."

David's father, Winston (Alf) Holmes, joined the Royal Engineers in 1939. Fighting alongside the Ghurkhas as part of the 4th Indian Division, Winston was tasked with clearing a path through a minefield by hand when the blast went off.

David says: "Like many other veterans of the First and Second World Wars, my dad didn't like to talk about his experiences, which I understand. It means that I know very little about it really. I know that the accident threw my dad to the ground, ripping his stomach open and blinded him completely – though he wasn't as badly burnt as some of the others were. As soon as it happened that was it – he was on his way home."

When Winston returned to the UK, he became a member of Blind Veterans UK, initially being cared for at the charity's then support centre in Church Stretton, Shropshire.

David says: "The charity was always extremely supportive to us. Like the other members of the charity, my dad was allocated a welfare officer, who would come to our home and find out if there was anything we needed. They would help with whatever dad asked them for. The charity even bought a tobacconist and sweet shop for us which we were able to run to make a living.

"When my mum was taken ill I remember spending time at the house the charity provided for the children of veterans. Knowing that I was able to go there was a real relief for my parents.

"For me, having a father who was blind was all I knew, so I just accepted it as normal. I did have to grow up a lot quicker than other children, as a result I used to go to have to take him up the road, go to the shops for him and mum, 'help' him cook the Sunday fry-up, while my mother had a lie in, which meant that I ended up doing all the cooking when I was as young as four or five."

Blind Veterans UK launched its No One Alone campaign in October 2012. Given research findings, the charity is particularly keen to reach the National Service generation of men, who are now in their 70s and 80s, trying to cope with a severe sight problem and unaware that their time in the forces, however brief or long ago, means they are eligible for the charity's support.

David says: "Given what they have done for me, I am happy to do whatever I possibly can to help support and promote the work of Blind Veterans UK."

If you are or know of a veteran with vision impairment, visit http://www.noonealone.org.uk">www.noonealone.org.uk or telephone 0800 389 7979.