A ROYAL Navy veteran who sailed some of the most dangerous routes in the Second World War marched at the cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday with Blind Veterans UK.

Robert Ware, 90, from Prescot took part in the commemorations alongside more than 100 other veterans with the charity for ex servicemen and women whose vision is impaired.

Robert was called up in 1942 and served on HMS Albrighton, a hunt class destroyer which escorted convoys of Merchant Navy ships from America to the UK.

They were regularly targeted by German U-boats looking to break the UK’s supply chain.

He said: “I really felt that I was working for the war effort. Had we not got those supplies safely across the Atlantic the war could have ended very differently.

“The Germans managed to sink lots of Merchant Navy ships so we were there to make sure that as many got through as possible.”

Following German’s surrender Robert served on landing crafts and was sent to India to prepare for an invasion of Japan. The invasion was called off after the US nuclear strikes on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Despite the constant danger Robert remembers his service fondly: “I went to defend my country and that was the most important thing.

“There was always this fear at the back of my mind that the worst might happen but I just got on with it.

“My time in the navy was alright actually but the best bit was when we got to go ashore and have few beers.”

Decades after leaving the navy Robert began to lose his sight due to age related macular degeneration.

Since 2012 he has received support from Blind Veterans UK to help him live independently.

He added: “It was a great honour to represent Blind veterans UK at the cenotaph. I lost a lot of friends in World War II so remembrance Sunday is a time when I think of them.

“I think the public should really be contemplating all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of this country.”