A NEW national memorial to the 255 British soldiers, sailors and airmen killed during the Falklands War has been officially unveiled in the presence of relatives of some of those who lost their lives.
The emotional service yesterday at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, attended by hundreds of current and former services personnel and their families, ended with a fly-past by a Vulcan bomber and three military helicopters.
The Vulcan, flown by the flight lieutenant who led the famous raid on Port Stanley's runway, twice passed over the memorial to commemorate those who fell during the South Atlantic campaign.
Among those who attended the service were Sara Jones, the widow of Lieutenant Colonel H Jones, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery at the Battle of Goose Green; and Kathryn Nutbeem, whose father was among 56 men who died when their troop ship was bombed.
The memorial is a 7ft-high curved wall of Cotswold stone designed to reflect the landscape of the Falklands, which echoes a commemorative wall at the islands' San Carlos Cemetery. It also features two granite benches and a number of plaques.
Mrs Jones, chairwoman of the Falkland Families Association, said: "I know it's 30 years on but it's been worth waiting for. It was a lovely short service and that Vulcan coming over was a wonderful ending."
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