Basra memorial rededicated: The Church of England Newspaper March 19, 2010 p 6. March 31, 2010
Posted by geoconger in Church of England, Church of England Newspaper, Iraq.trackback
The Prime Minister The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP lays a wreath on behalf of the nation. The Basra Memorial Wall was rededicated at its new home in the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The prime minister has rededicated the “Basra Memorial Wall” to honour the 178 British service personnel and one Ministry of Defence civilian employee killed in operations in Iraq.
On March 11, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative party leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, members of the cabinet, the military service chiefs and over 500 family members of those killed in action attended the service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
At the conclusion of the memorial service, wreaths were laid by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, and Brian Tanswell whose son, Lt Tom Tanswell RA, was killed in Iraq in 2006.
Last week’s service was the second and final national commemoration of the close of UK operations in Iraq 2003-2009, which began with the service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Oct 9.
The Basra Memorial Wall was originally built outside the Headquarters of Multi-National Division in Basra by members of 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron as a monument to the dead. It was disassembled and brought back to the UK in 2009. The names of the dead are inscribed on the wall and in the center is a brass memorial plaque that was blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the national service of commemoration for Iraq at St Paul’s Cathedral last year.
Speaking after the service, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said, “today we paid tribute to those who gave their lives in Iraq on behalf of the nation and in order to provide Iraqis with a better life. This memorial, set in this Arboretum of remembrance, is a fitting monument to their sacrifice.”
The prime minister told the British Forces Broadcasting Service “this now gives us a permanent memorial for the 179 who were killed and sacrificed their lives in Iraq.
“It is a lasting memorial; 100,000 troops went to Iraq and many of those members of our armed forces will want to visit this memorial too.
“It does give them a chance that they would not have had if it had remained in Iraq,” Mr. Brown said.
