Britain has ended combat operations in Iraq in a historic move which means soldiers can finally return home after a bloody conflict which has lasted more than six years.
The occasion was marked with an upbeat ceremony to hand over military responsibility in Basra to the United States, and a sombre remembrance service for the British servicemen and women who died during the war.
Defence Secretary John Hutton, who flew to Iraq for the events, said it was a "very moving and a very emotional day" and spoke of his pride in the country's armed forces.
The pull-out of nearly all the 3,700 British troops remaining in Iraq will now speed up in the coming days.
The momentous day began with a memorial service in front of the headquarters of the UK's 20th Armoured Brigade on the main coalition military base next to Basra International Airport.
As pipers played, the names of the 179 British personnel who have died since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 were called out. This was followed by the reading of the names of the American, Danish, Italian, Dutch and Romanian troops and the civilian contractors killed in southern Iraq since 2003. Reading all 234 names took about 29 minutes.
Bugler Gareth Roberts (25), from Shrewsbury, of 5 Rifles, played the
Last Postand the troops saluted their fallen comrades during a minute's silence. Later Brigadier Tom Beckett, commander of 20th Armoured Brigade, formally handed over the mission to Colonel Butch Kievenaar, commander of the US Army's 2nd Brigade 4th Infantry Division.
Mr Hutton said: "It's a very moving and a very emotional day, particularly I think for the lads here who have served sometimes many tours. You hear that long list of names and you have to be made of steel not to feel a very strong sense of emotion about the losses that we have sustained."
Mr Hutton defended the absence from the ceremony of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who met his Iraqi counterpart, Nouri Maliki, in London.
"Gordon can't be in two places at the same time." he said. "I think it's very important that the Prime Minister is in London to greet the Iraqi PM. I think that's an entirely appropriate thing for him to do."
PA