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Ex-soldier gets tattoos of dead
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-13 18:52

Ex-soldier gets tattoos of dead Shaun Clark had the names of 223 British soldiers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan tattooed over his chest and back on Remembrance Day.[Agencies]

BEIJING: Shaun Clark, 43, spent hours under the needle on Remembrance Day having the names of 223 British soldiers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan tattooed over his chest and back.

Mr Clark, who now works as a court officer, served with the 8th Battalion Light Infantry Regiment from 1989 to 1996. He is raising money for the Help for Heroes charity through sponsorship.

He said his skin would "hurt like hell for a while".

But he added: "I don't mind suffering for a few days if I can let the lads know that people really care about what they're doing out there, and raise some money for the guys coming home wounded as well.

"The family thought I was mad to begin with, but they've come round to the idea now, and my wife is backing me all the way."

Tattoo artist Kevin Kent, who gave his services for free, drew up a list of all the British casualties in Afghanistan since April 2002 with the help of the Ministry of Defence.