In the winter of 1990–1991, the United Kingdom, alongside a United States-led coalition of 34 nations, took part in the Gulf War, a conflict triggered by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait.
Known in the UK as Operation Granby and in the US as Operation Desert Storm, it was the largest single deployment of British troops since the Second World War, involving over 53,000 British servicemen and women.
Why the Gulf War is Commemorated
The conflict is remembered to honour both the rapid military success of the international coalition and the profound human cost of the war:
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To Commemorate the Liberation of Kuwait: The war represented a historic milestone of global cooperation. Following a relentless air campaign and a swift 100-hour ground assault, Kuwait City was successfully liberated, and a UN-mandated ceasefire was declared on 28 February 1991.
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To Honour Those Who Sacrificed Their Lives: Commemorations honour the service personnel who did not make it home. While the coalition achieved a swift victory, it came at a price; 47 British service personnel were among the hundreds of coalition troops who lost their lives.
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To Raise Awareness of the War’s Aftermath: Commemorative events highlight the ongoing physical and psychological battles faced by veterans, including Gulf War Syndrome (a cluster of chronic, unexplained symptoms affecting veterans), as well as the environmental devastation left by retreating Iraqi forces who set fire to over 700 Kuwaiti oil wells.
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