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| New medal to honour forces dead | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Queen has approved a new honour in her name for members of the armed forces who are killed in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. | |
| The Elizabeth Cross will be awarded to the families of those killed. | |
| In a personal message to service personnel, the Queen said the medal was "a right and proper way of showing our enduring debt". | |
| The Cross will be available to the relatives of those killed in conflicts as long ago as 1948. | |
| Made of sterling silver in the shape of a cross and a wreath, it will carry the floral emblems of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales - the rose, thistle, shamrock and daffodil. | |
| It will be awarded along with a Memorial Scroll signed by the Queen and bearing the name of the individual killed. | |
| 'Enduring loss' | |
| Gordon Brown announced the new award during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons on Wednesday. | |
| He said: "I am confident that this will be a very special and fitting tribute indeed for the great debt we owe to all those who die on operations and the enduring loss shouldered by their families." | |
| The Queen explained her motivation for instituting the award in a special radio message broadcast on armed forces radio. | |
| It is a lasting symbol of the nation's recognition of and gratitude for their sacrifice Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup | |
| "This seems to me a right and proper way of showing our enduring debt to those who are killed while actively protecting what is most dear to us all," she said. | |
| "The solemn dignity which we attach to the names of those who have fallen is deeply engrained in our national character. | |
| "As a people, we accord this ultimate sacrifice the highest honour and respect." | |
| It is the first time the name of a reigning monarch has been given to a new award since the George Cross was introduced in 1940 by King George VI. | |
| Before this, the Victoria Cross was introduced by Queen Victoria in 1856 for acts of gallantry by members of the armed forces. | |
| The chief of the defence staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, said relatives would wear the Elizabeth Cross with "immense pride". | |
| He said: "It is a reminder not just of the ultimate price their loved ones have paid while safeguarding our security and freedom, it is also a lasting symbol of the nation's recognition of and gratitude for their sacrifice." |