DESPITE what Crowded House once sang, you can’t always take the weather with you.

But you can still capture the spirit of Christmas despite sitting in the broiling heat of Iraq.

A traditional yuletide was enjoyed by the sailors and marines attached to the Naval Transition Team (NaTT) in Umm Qasr.

The team is training the Iraqi Navy to take over maritime security in the country’s waterways and northern Arabian Gulf.

Such training was set aside for two days as the festivities set in, kicking off with a Christmas Eve quiz.

The big day was marked in typical fashion. Officers served ratings their Christmas dinner (turkey with all the trimmings, naturally), and then all who were still awake after their hearty meal sat down to Steve McQueen in The Great Escape.

Christmas Day was made all the merrier thanks to: 1) Santa (aka US Marine Gunnery Sergeant Boomer) and 2) welfare boxes crammed with gifts and food sent from the UK.

December 25 ended with ‘Desert Idol’ – a light-hearted karaoke session involving Liam Gallagher (Mne Mike Taylor) and Elton John (Mne Mike MaGuire) among other stars.

Normal duties resumed on Boxing Day morning, but after the training ended in the early afternoon the trainers treated the Iraqis to a game of It’s A Knockout (which must have truly baffled them – Ed).

Prior to the Christmas celebrations, First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band called in at Umm Qasr as part of a tour of Naval and Royal Marine units in the region.