LONDON - The first national memorial dedicated to members of the armed forces killed on duty since World War Two was officially unveiled by the Queen on Friday.

The Armed Forces Memorial (AFM), near Lichfield in Staffordshire, is a walled circle listing the names of about 16,000 service men and women who have lost their lives in the last 60 years.

It was created because of a perceived feeling of a lack of recognition of service personnel who had died since the last World War and includes not just those who died in battle but those killed in training and on exercises.

One of those listed is the Queen's cousin Earl Mountbatten, who was killed by an Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb in 1979.

"We sometimes take for granted the expectation that our Armed Forces are professional, loyal and dedicated," said Prince Charles, patron of the AFM Trust.

"In reality our expectation is far exceeded. These men and women are prepared to give their lives defending our nation's interests and the freedom of others and yet their sacrifice all too often goes without recognition."

The project is expected to cost 7 million pounds, funded partly by the Millennium Commission and including substantial donations from the public, notably from readers of the Sun and Daily Mail newspapers.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of Defence Staff, said he hoped the memorial would be a fitting tribute not only to those who died but also for their families.

"The nation owes them a debt of thanks that can never adequately be met," he said.

"But I hope that this new memorial offers them a place of solace, and a sense that at last we have a tangible reflection of and focus for the nation's remembrance and gratitude."