The plaque, carved from pink granite and fixed to the base of the war memorial, commemorates servicemen and women from East Anglia who have died in conflicts since the end of the Second World War.

And, appropriately, Jan Hawkins, mother of Lance Corporal Alex Hawkins (22), from Dereham, who was killed in southern Afghanistan last July while serving with the 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, laid one of the wreaths.

Swaffham branches of the Royal Naval Association and the Royal British Legion masterminded the project, with support and help from Swaffham Town Council and its staff and the Iceni Partnership.

Norfolk's Lord Lieutenant Richard Jewson unveiled the plaque after taking the salute from a dais outside the Assembly Rooms as military veterans and young cadets marched past.

Alongside him were Norfolk High Sheriff Viscountess Knollys and Swaffham Town Mayor Shirley Matthews, and other VIP guests, including South West Norfolk MP Christopher Fraser, Norfolk County Council chairman Wyndham Northam and Breckland Council chairman John Labouchere.

The parade, led by Dereham Town Band, consisted of about 30 standard-bearers and escorts from the Royal Naval Association, the Royal British Legion, the Royal Marines' Association, the British Korean Veterans' Association, the George Cross Island Association, the Royal Air Forces' Association and the 7th Armoured Division Association (Desert Rats).

Joining them were members of 1894 (Swaffham) Squadron Air Training Corps, Swaffham Army Cadets and Lynn Sea Cadets, who paraded their new standard.

The parade had marched from outside Swaffham First and Nursery School in White Cross Road, at 11.15am, along London Street into the Market Place, watched by throngs of people lining the route.

An estimated 500 to 600 people crammed into the area around the war memorial to see the unveiling and dedication ceremony, led by Swaffham vicar the Rev John Smith.

Representatives from RAF Marham, RAF Honington, 4th Regiment Army Air Corps, The Light Dragoons, 39 Engineer Regiment, 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, 3rd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment (Volunteers) and 6th Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers) were present.

special poem

During the service, a poem, So Many Names, specially written by Swaffham man Cyril Holbrook, was read by 14-year-old Jade Chasney, of the Lynn Sea Cadets.

Afterwards, guests attended a reception in the Assembly Rooms, where Ernie Heritage, Swaffham branch chairman of the RNA, and the Lord Lieutenant gave short speeches.

At 2.45pm, a Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight did three fly-pasts over the memorial to complete the occasion.

Mr Heritage, who came up with the idea for the plaque, said: "I think the whole thing went off superbly – it couldn't have been better.

"We are hoping that other regions will now follow our lead and have these memorial plaques.