The Duke of Sussex has praised the “courage, duty and sacrifice” of Iraq War veterans on the 15th anniversary of the end of British involvement in the conflict. More than 6,000 British armed forces personnel were injured and 179 were killed during Operation Telic, the codename for UK military operations in Iraq from March 2003.
In a statement marking the anniversary, Harry said: “Fifteen years on from the end of the Iraq War, we remember with profound gratitude the brave men and women who served their country with courage, duty and sacrifice. Today, we honour not only those who paid the ultimate price, but also the veterans and families who continue to carry the visible and invisible wounds of war. Their strength, resilience and service must never be forgotten.”
Around 1,500 members of the armed forces community attended a ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Friday to mark the anniversary. The event featured wreath-laying, readings, music, a service of remembrance and a flypast by a Chinook helicopter. It was attended by Defence Secretary John Healey and presented by former ITV News war correspondent Bill Neely.
Harry undertook two operational tours in Afghanistan, initially serving as a Forward Air Controller and later as an Apache helicopter pilot. He left the Army in March 2015 after 10 years of service.
