The Memorial is a stunning piece of architecture comprising a 43 metre diameter stone structure with two curved walls and two straight walls containing the names of those honoured here.

Since the end of World War II the men and women of the Armed Forces, often supported by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Merchant Navy, have taken part in more than 50 operations and conflicts across the world, often as part of United Nations, NATO or other international coalitions.

It’s not just Service Personnel who’ve made the sacrifice. Behind every name on the Memorial are the wives, husbands, partners, parents, children and colleagues who loved them and who live with the pain and consequences of their loss every day.

Tricia Wall’s husband Company Sergeant Major Colin Wall was killed in Basra, Iraq, in 2003. His name appears on the Memorial.

"The Memorial has come to mean a great deal to all of the family, especially our son Alex who was just 11 months old at the time of his dad’s death," Tricia says.

"We'll always be incredibly proud of Colin. This magnificent place is an awe-inspiring tribute that will forever honour him and the thousands of other men and women who have lost their lives serving their country."

Jill McLachlan, wife of Corporal Robin McLachlan who was killed in 2003, cut the first turf with her two daughters before construction of the Memorial started in August 2006. She said:

"Robin served bravely in difficult circumstances in both Northern Ireland and Bosnia. We were absolutely shocked and devastated to lose him in a road accident while posted in Germany, especially as he never got to see our youngest daughter, Kirsty.

"The Memorial provides fitting recognition of both his sacrifice and that of his family. Our daughters will come back here year after year, and in time their families will too."

Jenny Green OBE is a trustee and vice patron of the Armed Forces Memorial and former chairman of the War Widows Association of Great Britain. Her husband Group Captain Bill Green was killed 18 years ago, his body was never recovered. For her, with no grave or headstone to visit, the Memorial is of very great significance.

"Unlike many, my son and daughter were lucky to have been old enough to have known their father and have memories which give comfort as the years pass," Mrs Green said. "Now my son has a son of his own, and I know that in time he will bring him here to see and hear about the grandfather he never knew."

"This Memorial is a special place in which to honour our loved ones, a place to reflect with pride on their ultimate sacrifice, to remember them and to see others remembering them. But it’s far more than just a monument. It has a serenity and beauty of its own and comes alive when, within its walls, people walk, sit and think. To see families and friends touching the names of their lost loved ones is incredibly moving."