Bob Osborne

Bob Osborne, Ex-Serviceman - 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers Regiment, was born in April 1924. He lives with his wife Joan in Saltdean, near Brighton. Bob and Joan have two sons and five great grandchildren.Bob enlisted with the 2nd Battalion. In the days before D-Day, his company – A Company – boarded a troop ship. Aged 20, he was on his way to Sword Beach in the first wave of Normandy landings.

“We didn’t have an easy time going in, men were getting hit in the water and there were a lot of wounded. Once we got ashore, I went up that beach like I was doing a 4-minute mile. We were being mortared and shot at but you just had to keep going.”

For the next few weeks, Bob’s battalion fought its way inland from village to village as the beachhead was established and held.

Not long after in the fighting around Hill 112, Bob was badly wounded:

“I heard gunfire in the distance and that was it. I don’t remember any more, a shell must have dropped right in front of me.”

In that instant, Bob lost his arm, a leg and his sight:

“I didn’t feel a lot, you know. I just disappeared. I’m lucky to be alive!

Bob’s injuries kept him on the danger list for ten days, followed by many months in hospital. In September 1944, he became a St Dunstaner and began his training and rehabilitation at Church Stretton, Shropshire, where St Dunstan’s was based from 1940 to 1946. He learned skills such as how to navigate safely and read Braille. He met his wife Joan there – her  father was a WWI St Dunstaner and had become a rehabilitation instructor for the charity. Bob and Joan married in 1948.

Bob’s multiple injuries made it difficult for him to train for a career, though he learnt to read Braille and to type one-handed. Nevertheless, once he had recovered he moved to the village of Ovingdean, where he and Joan were married. They ran the
St Dunstan’s newsagent shop together for many years.

Bob has only needed a wheelchair in recent years, but still likes to keep very active. He is Chairman of the St Dunstan’s Bowling Club, using a specially adapted chair to bowl. He also attends the craft workshop at St Dunstan’s centre in Ovingdean every Tuesday and enjoys various art and craft activities. Bob says:

“I could not have managed without St Dunstan’s. They have offered great support to me and my wife over many years. I am currently staying at the St Dunstan’s centre in Ovingdean for respite care to give my wife a break. I feel very well very cared for and there is always someone to talk to or something to keep me occupied.” 

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