Shaun Clark PHOTOS: Former British Soldier Has Names Of Troops Killed In Afghanistan Tattooed On His Body

Shaun Clark has given his body to remembering the fallen.

The 43-year-old British man is a former solider who has decided to honor the 232 British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2002 by having their names tattooed across his body.

According to the Daily Mail, Clark spent four hours having the names placed across his chest and back. As he told the BBC, ""I know it's a bit extreme... but it's my way of honouring all those men and women." The tattoo artist who did the work told the BBC he gathered the names with the help of Britain's Ministry of Defence.

Comments

[ArcEnCiel]

Did he get his idea from 2pac's "I've got your name tattooed on my body so we can bind till my dying days; rest in peace... "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W69SSLfRJho

[UncleJimbo]

Perhaps the ones responsible for authorising these "wars" shoud be legally mandated to bear tattoos of all who perish in them!

[HDR]

I tell you what, as far as tattoes go, this one's pretty cool. I don't have any because I don't think I could commit to anything printed on my body for life (except maybe the Shipley's Donuts insignia) but this could be a commitment.

[Stalling]

I'm digging all the Spanish names.

[Bernard Marx]

I'm NOTdigging the lack of Afghani names

[deluk]

He's not Afghan.

[morganhoyle]

I have a lot of friends and family that have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, they all have tattoos of their friends and people that they knew that died. It always serves a such a sad reminder of the tragedies that have taken their friends from us.

I think instead that if you are going to get a tribute tattoo, it should be a celebration of the person. A reminder of the things that the person was planning to do with the rest of his/her life, after the war. I would would want to be more than just a name on a body, a memorial, a letter. I would want to be a memory.

[shutterbabe]

Having a name inked on your body is a memory. Any tattoo can be a deeply personal experience. We all have different symbols that resonates with our spirit. The intent is what matters most. Shaun is celebrating the life and loss of 232 troops in a way that speaks to his heart.

I have nine tattoo's, each depicting different times in my own earth journey: all sacred symbols such as an OM, a Phoenix Rising, a Celtic Knot, etc. to symbolize surviving an illness. Some are hidden, some are exposed. I dare anyone to tell me that they are not the right memorial.

[AwakeNow]

I believe this man is celebrating all of these soldiers who are no longer alive. Some of these people may have been friends. Some may have been patriotic strangers. Some may have saved his life in battle. Some he may have witnessed saving others. All of these military personal did one thing for sure and that is they put their life on the line for others many of whom they do not know and will never hear a thank you from. Do not get me wrong I am NOT pro war however I am GRATEFUL to know we have courageous and selfless soldiers.

[shutterbabe]

AwakeNow,

Your style of writing and clarity of thought is impressive. Well done!

Count me in as Number #15.

[Bernard Marx]

Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone, but what is this a tribute to? How many people have died? How many nameless afghans have been ki//ed. How many children. How many women. How many men.

I bet none of you who are touched by this gesture have the slightest clue how many innocent afghans have been ki/l/led

How many?

Why?

[brady61995]

i think you are wrong on that one. i would imagine this guy and anyone that served is quite aware of the civilian deaths and is not happy about it. i cant imagine most soldiers having any satisfaction is the deaths of innocents. there are always some that will cross the line like any group of politicians, religious extemist etc.. i think you undrestimate the conscience of people and especially those that serve your statement is too generalized.

[AwakeNow]

I cannot give you an exact number of how many innocents have died. The passing of one innocent life is one too many. Thousands have died in the Afghan war and I personally wish that we were not there. This mans tribute in my mind is one to the people who are willing to put their own lives on the line for others.

[jimmyjones22]

Thank god he wasn't American, would cover him from head to toe...

Nice idea, though

[Bernard Marx]

Or Afghan, or Iraqi, then we would need to start recruiting people to be tattooed

[brent3d]

Very touching..­.

[jebamoni4]

What he will do when his body runs out of space?

[CigarGod]

Chip implant.

[SGMD1]

I'm not a fan of tattoos to begin with, so this is beyond outrageous IMHO. But whatever floats his boat.

[AngusC]

I am not really a fan of war, but this is pretty cool.
Respect.

[NKR]

I think its great that he wanted to memorialize fallen soldiers. I do wonder, however, if he's already married. Because if he's not, tattoos of guns and dead people are the kind of thing that tends to turn women off...

[HDR]

You wanna bet. There plenty of people out there turned on by all kinds of things.

[theycallthewindmariah]

I bet the publicity will actually help him in that line as British ladies might ask to see the tattoos.

[arneader]

I think that's ADMIRAL of him!

[Chinanski]

Just read my own last post.

You know what? It'll be just like in real live ... in 10 to 20 years, two or three wars later only a few people will remember ...

Just like the tattoo will be blurry in 20 years, memory will be, too.

Just like in Walzing Mathilda ...

"And now every April I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me
And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving old dreams of past glory
And the old men march slowly, all bent, stiff and sore
The forgotten heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question"

No more to say about it.

[Chinanski]

In 10 to 20 years the names will get all blurry and you will probably not be able to read the names any longer. The letters are just to small.

The "tatoo artist" should have told him.

[shutterbabe]

Many tattoo artists are exactly that: artists. They create fine art and use excellent quality ink that does not blur over the years. Usually that effect comes from using lower quality materials or if the inked individual overexposes his body art to the sun.

In this case, if the names do become unreadable, it does not distract from the intent of the act. I am not getting the impression that Shaun was tattooed without giving it great thought. The back is particularly sensitive to the needle- and one would not endure that much pain with premeditation.