Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial

The Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial stands in Victoria Embankment Gardens beside the River Thames in central London. It occupies a space between the Ministry of Defence headquarters and other war memorials from the Second World War and the Korean War. The sculptor Paul Day designed the monument to honour British citizens who served in the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War. Between 1990 and 2015 these conflicts cost the lives of 682 British service personnel. The memorial recognises both military personnel and civilians who contributed, without listing individual names. Two large Portland stone monoliths form the heart of the design. Each weighs more than thirty tonnes and bears the words ‘Afghanistan’, ‘Iraq’, ‘duty’ or ‘service’ on different sides. Rough-hewn sections on each stone recall the rocky landscapes of Afghanistan and Iraq. A thick bronze medallion sits between the stones, showing reliefs of armed forces members on one face and civilian workers on the other. The absence of names reflects the wish to include everyone who served, not only those who died. Visitors find the memorial set in a quiet garden beside the flowing Thames. The bronze medallion catches light and shadow as the day changes. Surrounding monuments to earlier wars frame the scene, linking past conflicts with more recent ones. The stone surfaces weather slowly, their inscriptions growing clearer with time. The setting offers a place for quiet reflection on service and sacrifice.