The Town kit collected by TWTD before Christmas arrived in Hamrin, Iraq just over a week ago. Captain Mark Stoneman of the US Army has sent us some photos of the club's newest supporters proudly wearing their shirts.
Mark, a Town fan since childhood who moved to the US as a teenager in the late 80s, contacted us in December and asked if we could arrange a collection of old shirts, shorts, socks and other football kit for the youngsters of Hamrin, the town in Iraq where he was then stationed.
With football a common bond between the soldiers and the Iraqis, Mark's unit, Company B, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, had built them a pitch and provided footballs, but their kit was somewhat ancient and bore the unfortunate slogan 'A Gift From Saddam Hussein', which as a result they wore inside-out.
TWTD stall regulars Phil Ham and Vanda Andrews collected around 400 shirts plus various other kit prior to two games before Christmas, in all shapes and sizes and in designs going back to the mid-eighties.
We also asked Town chief executive Derek Bowden if the club would contribute and they supplied 30 old home shirts, 50 away kits, some out of date benchwear and other discontinued clothing. Simon Milton added some unwanted academy kit.
Ipswich Town Ist chairman Carl Day arranged transit via his company Seawing Landguard and enlisted the help of the 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath who flew the kit out to the Middle East.
By the time it arrived in Iraq, Mark's unit had moved out of Hamrin and he had to enlist help: "All my soldiers and equipment had already left so I had to beg a ride from the 101st Airborne Division in order to get them to my old base, now occupied by another unit.
They duly laid on a Blackhawk and allowed us to deliver the shirts and equipment. I went out with the company which replaced me and we distributed about half of the shirts; they plan on spreading the rest of the shirts out over the next few months.
Everyone was ecstatic when they saw the quality and amount of what we brought them. I'm very grateful to everyone who made this happen."
Mark will be at the Burnley game in February and has been offered seats in the directors' box by the club.