A MOTHER whose son was killed in Iraq has said not inviting the families of fallen servicemen to the opening of a national memorial was ‘disrespectful’.

Rifleman Aaron Lincoln was 18 when he was shot dead in a gun battle in Basra almost ten years ago.

The Queen, senior Royals, Theresa May and past prime ministers attended the unveiling of a monument in Victoria Embankment Gardens, in London on Thursday.

Rifleman Lincoln’s mother, Karen, 53, from Durham, said: “We were not sent anything about it. It is disgusting.

“We should have been the first ones invited. I am in touch with some of the families and I do not think any of them have been contacted either. It is disrespectful.”

A moving service at Horse Guards Parade in central London was attended by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall ahead of the unveiling.

Former prime ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron and Tony Blair were there, along with more than 2,000 people including, service personnel, veterans, civil servants and aid workers, as well as some families who lost loved ones.

Mrs Lincoln believes Mr Blair, the former Sedgefield MP who controversially led Britain to war in Iraq in 2003, should not have been present.

She said: “I am angry about it. He should not even have been invited. He was the one that sent them over. He is responsible for what happened.”

The new memorial features two large stones, one representing Iraq and the other Afghanistan, linked by a giant, two-sided bronze tondo depicting the theme of “Duty and Service”.

The memorial gives equal prominence to military and civilian contributions, including the delivery of healthcare and humanitarian work in the Gulf region, Iraq and Afghanistan from 1990 to 2015.

It is intended to be inclusive of all those who contributed and bears no names.

A spokesperson for the MoD said: “This memorial marks the contribution of over 300,000 former and current members of our Armed Forces and thousands of civilians over a 25-year period.

“To ensure each group is represented, we asked charities and groups representing the bereaved of each service to suggest attendees.”

Rifleman Lincoln, who served with The Rifles, was one of 179 British forces personnel and MoD civilians to die in Iraq, while 456 were killed in Afghanistan and 47 lost their lives in the first Gulf War, according to figures from the Ministry of Defence.

During the service current Prime Minister Theresa May said: “We pay tribute to those families who spent long periods apart and we stand with the friends and families of all who lost loved ones.”