Queen at Lichfield Cathedral and Alrewas arboretum

The Queen has presented medals to soldiers from The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry in Staffordshire.

She attended a service of thanksgiving at Lichfield Cathedral to mark the return of soldiers from a five-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Medals were presented to 15 members of the regiment.

The Queen later laid a wreath at the National Memorial Arboretum, which held a service of commemoration for those killed on duty in the previous year.

Names read

A spokesman for the arboretum at Alrewas said the 112 deaths in 2010 represented one of the largest tolls of the last 20 years.

Relatives and comrades of those killed serving in the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy last year also attended the service.

The names of more than 15,000 servicemen and women killed on duty since the end of World War II have been added to the memorial.

The names of the 112 people killed in 2010 were read out at the service.

Earlier, about 600 people were at Lichfield Cathedral to see the Queen hand out the medals.

The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry, which is the armoured regiment for the West Midlands and north west of England, has squadrons based in Dudley, Telford, Chester, Wigan and Hereford.

The Queen later later a wreath at the the National Memorial Arboretum

It includes A Squadron (Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry), B Squadron (The Shropshire Yeomanry), C Squadron (The Cheshire Yeomanry) and D Squadron (The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry).

Her Majesty, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the armoured regiment, was welcomed by the Bishop of Lichfield. It was her first visit to the cathedral since 1988.

She presented the operational medals outside the West Door of the cathedral and attended the service to mark the return of soldiers from the tour of duty in Helmand province.

The Dean of Lichfield, the Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, said: "It is with pleasure that we welcome you to this cathedral in order to give thanks for the safe return of the soldiers of the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry."

The Queen shook hands and talked briefly with soldiers as she presented them with their medals for their service at various bases.