Remembering the Iraq War – 15 Years On

About the event

In May, the Royal British Legion will remember the 15th anniversary of the end of the War in Iraq and honour the extraordinary service and sacrifice of the British Armed Forces in the Coalition.

We are hosting a daytime commemorative event at 12pm at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, on Friday 22nd May 2026 – the 15th anniversary of the end of Operation TELIC.

We will remember the lives lost and those affected and pay tribute to the professionalism and dedication of the men and women who served, from the initial invasion to the crucial rebuilding of Iraqi institutions and infrastructure.

We warmly invite those to attend from the serving and veteran communities who served in the Iraq War (Op TELIC: 2003-2011), families of those who served in Iraq (including the bereaved), and those who worked as civilian contractors supporting British Forces and civil society in the country.

The Arboretum will be open from 10am, and guests are welcome to arrive from 10am for the 12pm event. Please share this link with your networks that wish to attend.

Once you have completed the form, the team will be in touch via email after Tuesday 14th April with an invitation to RSVP, alongside further event information. At this point, we will ask you to enter accreditation details for yourself and up to three guests.

Please only register yourself on this form. Remembering the Iraq War - 15 Years On

Please keep an eye out for an email invitation from [email protected].

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact the Remembrance Events Team at: [email protected]

About the War in Iraq

Millions of words have been written, and the details debated, regarding the conflict: the history behind the invasion of Iraq; the efforts to stabilise the country; and the war’s legacy. What is not in dispute is the professionalism and dedication of the British Armed Forces during Operation TELIC.

Men and women of our Armed Forces joined the US-led Coalition in the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Within a month, and under extreme conditions, our forces achieved their immediate objectives while facing repeated and deadly opposition. UK forces were primarily responsible for securing provinces in southern Iraq, including the city of Basra.

Coalition forces then began stabilisation operations, but violence escalated across Iraq, as a growing insurgency turned into a sectarian civil war that would claim tens of thousands of lives. Military and civilian Coalition personnel and the Iraqis working with them were targeted. For six years they faced deadly hazards including roadside bombs, snipers and mortar and rocket attacks while on patrol and in barracks.

Amid this, British forces and partners were engaged in providing humanitarian aid, helping local communities and in the painstaking rebuilding and reconstruction of both civil society and the Iraqi military services, in often austere conditions.

By the end of 2008 the situation had stabilised, and British combat operations ended in 2009. Most personnel left Iraq, leaving behind a number who continued the training of the Iraqi military. The last British personnel departed on 22nd May 2011: Op TELIC was at an end.

The duty in Iraq came at a high cost. Tragically, 179 British Armed Forces personnel lost their lives in Op TELIC. Thousands more were wounded, many with life-changing physical injuries. Others experienced emotional or mental ill-health as a result of their service in Iraq.

We remember how much we ask of our Armed Forces; and we acknowledge their dedication to service.