Yesterday a service of commemoration was held at St Paul’s Cathedral in honour of veterans and those who died fighting in Afghanistan.
The Queen was accompanied by senior members of The Royal Family and Prime Minster David Cameron, among other politicians.
Also taking their place in the service to mark the end of combat operations in Afghanistan were The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
In the 13-year campaign to free the people of Afghanistan from the Taliban, nearly 150,000 UK personnel served, and 453 British men and women died in the fight against the Taliban rule.
The service given yesterday featured an address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, to honour the sacrifice of all service men and women, commenting that it was “a moment for us to say thank you”.
The Archbishop of Canterbury blessed a cross made of shell casings which was located on a memorial wall in the main allied base in Afghanistan, Camp Bastion. Later on it was moved to the Royal British Legion’s National Memorial Arboretum.
The Very Reverend Dr David Ison, the Dean of St Paul’s, commemorated “with sorrow and regret” those who were killed, he called for remembrance of the “danger which people in that great country continue to face today”.
Following the service there was a parade through the City of London to the Guildhall, including representatives of other nations took part in the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force.
A further five detachments that included serving personnel from the Army, RAF, Royal Navy and the Royal Marines and another 400 veterans from the conflict, as well as members of the Royal British Legion (RBL) took part in the parade.
The parade route included military bands, pipes and drums marching past St Paul’s Cathedral. Prince Charles, along accompanied by other members of The Royal Family, took the salute.
Chinook, Apache and Sea King helicopters, as well as Hercules transport planes and Tornado attack jets, all which were used during the campaign, ignited the sky with patriotic pride as they flew over St Paul’s.
To complete the day, members of The Royal Family attended a series of receptions, meeting with those who took place in the part the commemorations or served in Afghanistan.
Photo credits: Crown Copyright 2015, Sergeant Rupert Frere, RLC
It was a wonderful service. Who can know what was in the heart’s and mind’s of all the people who took part in this rememberrance and personal service.? I hope that it brought comfort to the families of those who had lost a loved one, Strength to the injured and peace to the people who had to make the many difficult decision before, during and at the end of this conflict.