Club colours for Blues mad soldier

May 11 2007 By Emma Cullwick, Birmingham Mail

A FOOTBALL mad soldier who died after being hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq will be cremated wearing his favourite club's shirt - donated to his heart-broken family by Birmingham City FC bosses.

The Birmingham Mail revealed earlier this week how avid Blues fan Private Kevin Thompson, aged 21, of the Royal Logistics Corps, was driving in a convoy taking supplies to bases across Basra when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb on Thursday, May 3.

He was flown to Selly Oak Hospital, in Birmingham, but died last Sunday.May 6

His death brought the number of British fatalities in Iraq to 148.

His devastated grandmother, 78-year-old Dorothy Thompson, of Millmead Road, Bartley Green, said she hoped her grandson could be cremated wearing a Blues shirt when he is given a full military funeral on Friday.

The Mail contacted the club, and saddened staff were quick to donate a shirt to Pte Thompson's family in a bid to fulfil their final wishes.

A spokesman for the club said: "Our thoughts are with his family at what must be a very difficult time."

Pte Thompson was born and raised in Lancaster, but was known among his friends as "the Brummie" for his unfaltering support of the Blues and his frequent trips to the city to visit his grandparents.

"Kevin was obsessed with the Blues ever since he was very little," explained Dorothy. "He even took me to watch the Blues and he was gutted when they were relegated.

"It was such a pity that he did not live to see them being promoted, he would have been delighted.

"He went to every match he could get to when he wasn't away with the Army and he spent all of his money down the Blues shop buying everything you could think of.

"It would be very fitting for him to have his final moments with us wearing a shirt from the club he adored."

The news comes after an inquest into Pte Thompson's death was opened and adjourned at Birmingham Coroners Court yesterday.

A full inquest into his death is likely to take place in August or September and could be heard before a coroner in Lancaster, his family said.

Pte Thompson's brother Andrew, aged 18, is also a soldier and is currently training to serve in Iraq.

But his grandmother added: "We want Andrew out of the Army - we're not prepared to lose two family members over a pointless war."

Pte Thompson, who also leaves behind two younger sisters, Nicola, 20, and Jade, 14, died just two weeks before he was due to finish his six-month tour of duty in Iraq.

He had already booked a celebratory trip to New York, which he planned to take with his fiancee of 12 months, Lucy.