More than 900 Service personnel who served in the Gulf attended a Service of Remembrance for the conflict in Iraq at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

The congregation was led by The Queen, and including around 250 relatives and friends of the 51 members of the British forces who died during the operation.

Every unit of the Armed Forces that served in the Gulf during the early stages of hostilities was represented at the service, which was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, and the Bishop to the Forces.

The lessons were read by the Duke of Edinburgh and Air Chief Marshal Brian Burridge, who commanded the UK forces during Operation Telic.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said in his address that “those of you who watched and waited here, in agonies of anxiety over loved ones serving abroad, will have known something of the conflicting emotions that all this involves – fierce loyalty to those actually putting their lives on the line, pride in their personal commitment, courage and skill, anger at those who seem to undermine them as they face the terrible risks of war; but also pain and bewilderment at the confusions of war itself, the shocking photographs of the innocent dead, the media experts with their daily questioning of how things are being run.

“And for some – for many here today – the final and awful reality of a tragedy involving a son or daughter, a spouse, a parent. No amount of talking about ideals makes this easier; you know the cost in a unique way.

“In this service today, we are bound to face these contradictory feelings, and we shouldn’t be afraid to do so. Those who defended the action in Iraq rightly reminded us that while we talk people are suffering appallingly; while we try to keep our hands clean, atrocity and oppression reign unchecked.

“Whatever the different judgements about the decision to go to war, we have to recognise the moral seriousness of this, and the dedication of those who carry out the decision.

“But as we look out at a still uncertain and dangerous landscape, as we recall the soldiers and civilians killed since the direct military campaign ended, as we think of the United Nations personnel and the relief workers who have died, we have to acknowledge that moral vision is harder to convert into reality than we should like.

“We never know in advance quite what price will have to be paid in human lives, civilian and military, local and foreign, young and old.”

The Archbishop continued: “Today our main task is simply to pause in the presence of God. We give thanks for many lives of skill and bravery and patience – the lives of the servicemen and women whom we mourn together on this occasion; and the lives too of peacemakers and community builders of all kinds; and those who bore the cost without choosing or volunteering, those swept up in the unplanned death and terror that all conflict brings.”

After the Service, the Lord Mayor hosted a reception at the Guild Hall.

Hostilities in Iraq began on March 20, and 38 Britons died in the initial period of operations – until the end of April – and 18 have died since then.

The UK deployed around 46,000 people during the first three months of the year – some ten per cent of the Coalition effort.

The Royal Navy and RFA deployed 33 ships and 43 Fleet Air Arm helicopters, plus 3 Commando Brigade RM – some 9,000 personnel.