Iraq & Afghanistan Memorial | Royal British Legion

Former Royal Marine Commando Pete Dunning on the unveiling of the Iraq and Afghan Memorial.

Pete served two tours in Afghanistan. On both he was the driver and commander of an armoured personnel carrier, providing support for the infantry.

“The nice thing about the memorial is that it isn’t just about the military, it’s about the civilians as well and it’s there to commemorate all those who worked in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It’s not just remembering those who unfortunately died. It’s remembering everyone who went, whether they came back minus a few limbs, like myself, or not. It’s there to commemorate everyone who served.”

The memorial

“Seeing the memorial for the first time, I was struck by the contrast between the bronze medallion and the stones either side of it."

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The unveiling

“The stand out memory from the service was the reading that Prince Harry gave."

"He’s been in conflict; been there, done that, got the t-shirt and he’s got the medal to prove it. It gave it more poignancy.

“It was lovely to have the Queen there. The amount of work she does is amazing, and for her to attend made the day even more special.

“The Royal Marines marching band was there as well; I always love to hear them so that was a lovely experience.”