Prince Harry inaugurates memorial to British soldiers who died in Afghanistan

Prince Harry led a service on Thursday (11 June) to remember the members of the British armed forces who were killed in Afghanistan.

Harry and British Prime Minister David Cameron laid wreaths at the Bastion Memorial during the service, which was also attended by family and friends of those killed during the Afghanistan campaign.

The Bastion Memorial bears the names of the 453 British personnel who were killed in Afghanistan. It features the original cross, made of shell casings, that featured in the original memorial at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province.

"In 2006 a small memorial cairn was built to commemorate those who fell during our deployment into Helmand province as the scope of operations widened and the fighting in Afghanistan intensified this memorial grew. It changed to accommodate a lengthening list of those who had fallen on the other side of the world. The memorial became the focal point for remembrance in Camp Bastion. Set apart on the open plain the memorial stood as a witness to the bond of comradeship, respect and love those on the front line had for one another," said Harry.

"Once this ceremony is ended and all the trappings of the day have been cleared away this will become a place of pilgrimage, a quiet space for remembrance, just as it was in Camp Bastion all those miles away. But those named on this memorial will forever be in our hearts and prayers," he added.

Harry served twice in Afghanistan and will leave the Army this month after a ten-year career in the military.