Her Majesty The Queen attends dedication service at the National Memorial Arboretum
21 July 2011
Her Majesty The Queen yesterday joined families at The Royal British Legion's National Memorial Arboretum for a moving service during which the names of the 112 members of the UK Armed Forces who were killed on duty during 2010 were dedicated.
Each of the names which have recently been engraved on the Portland Stone walls of the Armed Forces Memorial was read aloud. The Queen, followed by the families, then laid wreaths and floral tributes next to the freshly inscribed wall of the Memorial.
After the service many families spoke of the special significance of the Armed Forces Memorial and the National Memorial Arboretum. The Arboretum is the UK's year-round centre for Remembrance and the Memorial is the UK's tribute to the 16,000 men and women who have been killed on duty or as a result of terrorist action since 1948.
Kate Darbyshire, partner of Royal Marine Sergeant Steven Darbyshire (35) who was shot and fatally wounded when his patrol came under enemy fire in the Sangin area of Afghanistan on 23 June 2010, said:
"To those who love him it is of the utmost importance that his sacrifice is remembered and honoured by the country he served so well. The Armed Forces Memorial provides a permanent record of the brave men and women who have given their lives to protect the safety of others.
"The Memorial is a place of quiet reflection away from the hustle of urban life - the beauty of the structure and the simplicity of the carved names on the Portland stone depicts the loss of so many young lives.
"Our sons Ryan and Callum are too young to fully understand the dedication ceremony, but in the future they will return here where they can see their Dad's name alongside his comrades from 40 Commando, and be justly proud."
Video highlights of the ceremony and also the reading of the names of those commemorated in full are shown below.
