St Dunstan's Hospital, London

In the grounds of St Dunstan's Hospital, London, a visually impaired ex-servicemen laughs as he jumps rope in front of two female visitors, the identities of all three are unknown. Identified, in uniform on the right, is 722 Trooper Ernest Charles Matheson. Born in Cairns, Queensland, Ernest Charles Matheson was working in South Australia as a labourer when he enlisted in the AIF on 25 November 1914, at the age of 22. He was assigned to the 1st Reinforcements, 9th Light Horse Regiment, and after initial training, embarked for overseas service from Melbourne, aboard the troopship HMAT Surada (A52), on 6 February 1915. Tooper Matheson joined his regiment in Egypt on 8 April and was posted to A Squadron. The regiment arrived on Gallipoli in May. Matheson was wounded in the face at Lone Pine on 7 August 1915 and was immediately evacuated to Egypt and then on to England to the 3rd London General Hospital. He lost his left eye and also the sight in his right eye. Once his wounds had healed he was admitted to St Dunstan's Hospital for the blind in November 1915 where he underwent rehabilitation and training for work in civilian life for the next two years. He was discharged from St Dunstan's on 25 November 1917, described as being 'fully trained in mat making', and returned to Australia two days later. He was discharged from the army at the end of January 1918. Although blind, Matheson was able to find his way around parts of London with little assistance. In 1917 he was noticed by a British artist, Claire Sheridan, in Regent's Park, dressed in his uniform. She later recalled that Matheson had attracted her attention 'by the way he walked alone, with his head held high and an inspired expression on his face. He was beautiful and resigned and patient'. His appearance inspired her to create a small painted plaster statue of Matheson, now in the War Memorial collection as ART19568. She replaced the cane he normally carried with the figure of a woman to guide him. Ernest Matheson died in Adelaide in December 1965. St Dunstan's continues to support blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women today.