The man who is a living memorial- two years on.

Shaun Clark having his leg tattooed this year.

AN EX-SOLDIER from Doncaster has had the names of all the British soldiers killed in Afghanistan tattooed on his body.

Shaun Clark, 45, from Rossington, began having the names tattooed on his chest, back and sides in 2009 as a fundraiser for charity Help the Heroes. He had 227 names tattooed, which took over six hours.

Every year Mr Clark sits in the tattooing chair at 11am and adds the names of those killed in the last year onto his body after the two-minute silence.

Mr Clark, who calls himself a ‘living memorial’, underwent another batch of tattoos this Armistice Day two years after he began, bringing his total up to 383.

Unfortunately since then nine more soldiers have died, including 28-year-old Matthew Thornton from Barnsley.

Over two years Mr Clark has filled his chest, back and sides. This year 40 names were tattooed on his left leg.

Mr Clark, who estimates he has over 1000 tattoos, is running out of space and only has one leg left.  He said: “I never thought it would get this far and the tattoos would cover me this much, but I will carry on until they stop dying.

“The military are meant to be pulling out in 2015 so I hope I only have to carry on until then.”

His son, Robert, 22, has agreed to take over from his dad if needed but said he would be starting on his legs.

Mr Clark originally aimed to raise £1000 and in 2009 he raised £3000. Today he has raised over £4500 and said he is amazed people are still giving two years later.

He said: “I thought £1000 was an unrealistic target. I never thought I would get it in a million years so I never imagined reaching £4500!

“This situation is not going away any time soon so it’s great people understand this and are continuing to give all the time.”

He said his tattoos shock people into realising just how many people have died.

Mr Clark, who served in the 8^th Battalion Light infantry between 1989 and 1997 in Gibraltar, Norway and Denmark, said he was overwhelmed by the support.

He said: “At first I wasn’t sure how mothers, wives and girlfriends would take it but everyone thinks it’s fantastic. I’ve had a few nasty comments, but everyone has a right to their own opinion. I just ignore them.”

Mr Clark came up with the idea with tattooist friend, Kevin Kent, 47, who owns Fantasy Tattoo Studio in Princegate, Doncaster. He said it started because he read people were stealing plaques from war memorials.

He said: “I was sick of hearing it and wanted the soldiers’ names to stay sacred. They can’t steal their names off my body can they?”

Mr Clark said when he first came up with the idea his children thought it was great but his wife, Amanda, 44, thought he was mad. His friends suggested a sponsored walk instead. “But I wanted to do it my way,” he said.

Mr Clark said this was his way of saying thank you to those that had lost their lives. 

“Although I nearly backed out of the whole thing because of the pain, I thought it was nothing compared to what those soldiers went through.”

But Mr Clark has changed his opinion about getting tattooed since he began in 2009. He said: “I used to feel proud but now I hate getting the tattoos. It feels horrible to have more names tattooed on me still. It’s a chore.”

From now on he wants to split the money he raises between two new military charities, Pilgrim Fathers and Soldiers off the Street. He wants to give to them as he feels Help for Heroes no longer needs his support.

Tattoo artist, Mr Kent, said: “I thought it was a stupid idea at the beginning but the more I thought about it, I realised you couldn’t get a better tribute. I thought it was absolutely outstanding.

“I feel proud to have him coming back each year and that he’s got that much conviction to keep coming back for the lads. It is a very painful process.”

Mr Kent gives his services free of charge for charity and has spent over eight hours tattooing the names on Mr Clark since 2009.

Bryn Parry, Help for Heroes CEO & co-founder, said: “Help for Heroes is all about ‘doing your bit’ and Shaun Clark’s efforts are brilliant example of people taking on a challenge, rallying support and accomplishing something extraordinary while they raise money for a wonderful cause.

“The commitment and dedication that Shaun has demonstrated through his fundraising is truly inspiring. We have been able to use the millions raised, over £120m in just four years, to provide practical and direct support to those wounded in the current conflicts.”