MORE than 100 Royal Anglian soldiers and their families witnessed Ipswich Town's victory against Wolves after being invited as the club's official guests.
MORE than 100 Royal Anglian soldiers and their families witnessed Ipswich Town's victory against Wolves after being invited as the club's official guests.
Members of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, known as the Vikings, have recently returned from a six-month tour of duty in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan where they lost nine soldiers and saw many more injured.
Soldiers and their families, many of whom are Town fans, were invited to watch Saturday's 3-0 win from the Upper Greene King Stand where they were joined by the family of Ipswich soldier, Private Aaron McClure, who was one of those killed while on duty.
As a mark of respect to the regiment and the soldiers who served their country, Town chairman David Sheepshanks presented a signed shirt to Vikings members Major Tony Borgnis, Lieutenant George Seal-Coon and Private Luke Geater, before the game. Ipswich fans rose to their feet in respect to the soldiers.
The club has sent its deepest sympathies to Pte McClure's parents, Lorraine and Karl, and brothers Daniel, Lewis and Ryan, and to the family and friends of the other soldiers who lost their lives while on the tour of duty.
An appeal has been launched to raise £100,000 to build a permanent memorial to the brave men of the battalion who died.
As well as providing a lasting tribute, some of the money from the campaign will also be used to help Anglians who have been injured in the six month deployment, which started in March this year.
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