The British military operation in Iraq is coming to end eight years after the United States-led invasion, which led to the fall of Saddam Hussein.
At its peak the operation involved some 46,000 personnel and 179 British personnel lost their lives in Iraq reports the BBC.
Operation Telic, the name for the UK mission in Iraq since 2003, will finish but a handful of staff will remain at the British embassy in Baghdad.
After the downfall of Saddam Hussein their job became one of securing the mainly Shia south which threatened to disrupt into factional conflict.
Defence Secretary Liam Fox paid tribute to the 179 British personnel who died since 2003 "fighting for security and stability in Iraq."
