Volunteers from across the Atlantic have taken on the challenge of keeping troops from Lichfield and Burntwood’s local regiment warm in Afghanistan.
Beanie hats are being knitted for soldiers from the 3 Mercian (The Staffords) ahead of their tour of duty overseas.
The scheme is the brainchild of local MP Christopher Pincher and has been seized upon by the North Staffordshire Regiment Living History Association, also known as the Black Knots.
The association is a re-enactment group based on the East Coast of the USA that works to further understanding of the average British soldier in World War Two.
So far, the Black Knots have seen nearly 400 hats knitted and donated by individuals and sewing circles for troops to wear under their Kevlar helmets during training and deployment.
Mr Pincher said: “It is wonderful that our beanie hat campaign has gone global, showing that respect and affection for British troops extends beyond our own shores to those of our ally America.
“Thank you to everyone already involved in this project. If you would like to help, or know someone else that might, please call my office on 01827 312 778 or they can be collected from the Staffordshire Regiment Museum. We really want to see every deployed soldier receive a hat.”
Many soldiers wear hats inside their helmets for comfort.
Curator of the Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Danielle Pritchard, added: “It would be fantastic to be able to get enough hats for every soldier in 3 Mercian and attached from 4 Mercian, ready for their tour in October.
“As this will be their last as Staffords, we here at the museum are keen to get involved with anything which will assist them and show them we are always thinking of them while they perform their difficult duties.”
The troops will be deployed to Afghanistan in October 2013.
