FAMILIES of Oxfordshire’s fallen remembered their loved ones yesterday as the end of the Afghan war was marked with a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The 13-year-conflict cost the lives of 453 troops, including 13 servicemen and women from or based in the county.

The Queen, Prime Minister David Cameron and veterans of the war gathered to pay tribute to those who were killed and thank the armed forces for their service in the country.

The father of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, the most senior British soldier killed in the war, said the sacrifice of his son and his comrades had not been in vain.

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Retired major John Thorneloe said: “There is no question that Afghanistan is a better country now than it was before we were there.

“Women can go around without being molested and girls are free to be educated.It is a totally different world.

 

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“We are very proud that their sacrifice has been remembered in this way.”

Lt Col Thorneloe, from Kirtlington, was killed by a roadside bomb on July, 1 2009 and was the most senior British soldier to die on active service since Lt Col Herbert ‘H’ Jones was killed in the Falklands War in 1982.

Lt Col Thorneloe’s daughters Sophie and Hannah presented a bouquet to the Queen at the end of yesterday’s ceremony.

The Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Rev Justin Welby said: “Today is a moment for us to say thank you to all who served, whatever your role.”

Lee Mackie, from Bampton, lost her Royal Marine son Jason Mackie in May 2009 when he was killed in Afghanistan aged 21 when his vehicle struck an explosive device.

After attending yesterday’s service with one of her other two sons, Alastair, she said it had been “poignant”.

Mrs Mackie, 59, said: “People were lining the streets and clapping to pay their respects.

I thought that was so nice.”

Hundreds of fallen troops were repatriated through RAF Brize Norton from the start of the war until 2007 and from 2011 until last year.

Retired major and chairman of the Oxford branch of the Royal Green Jackets Association Terry Roper said: “The repatriations were very important.”