A granite memorial made by Ipswich company HL Perfitt has been unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire. It commemorates the many thousands of men who fought in Malaysia, Borneo, Singapore and Brunei during the Second World War, the Malayan Emergency, The Confrontation and further conflicts in South East Asia.

The Chinese granite memorial is 2m high x 1.5m wide with a path leading up to it in Indian sandstone, which Perfitt also supplied and installed.

It was unveiled by General Sir Garry Johnson KCB OBE MC, President of the National Malaya & Borneo Veterans Association (NMBVA) in the presence of His Excellency Datuk Zakaria Sulong, High Commissioner for Malaysia to the Court of St James. There were 300 Members of NMBVA from the 28 UK Branches at the service at the Arboretum, which is part of The Royal British Legion family of charities.

Lieutenant Colonel Tex Pemberton OBE, National Chairman of the NMBVA, said: "This lasting memorial is intended as a place of quiet reflection for thousands of men and their families, remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those who have departed subsequent to the end of hostilities."

Paul Kennedy, curator at the Arboretum, added: "The Malayan & Borneo Veterans memorial is a fitting addition to the 291 memorials we now have on site, which collectively create a beautiful and lasting tribute to those who serve their country or who have died in conflict."