A service of commemoration will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral in the presence of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall on March 13 to mark the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan.

And relatives of the six Huddersfield soldiers who gave their lives in the 13-year conflict are likely to be invited with other bereaved families.

The service will be followed by a military parade of personnel who served in Afghanistan to pay tribute to those killed and injured during the campaign.

Alongside senior politicians and military top brass, invitations will go to veterans of the conflict, close relatives of troops who lost their lives, representatives of all regular and reserve armed forces units which served in Afghanistan and representatives of other nations which took part in the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force.

Announcing the plans to MPs in the House of Commons, Prime Minister David Cameron said: “I believe it’s a fitting moment to pay tribute to the extraordinary contribution made by our Armed Forces in Afghanistan over 13 years.

“Their mission has helped prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base from which to launch attacks on us here at home.

“They have enabled Afghanistan to begin the task of looking after its own security in the years ahead.

“The whole House, indeed the whole country, is right to be incredibly proud of our armed forces and all who served in Afghanistan.”

Following the announcement, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “This is our opportunity to show the enormous gratitude we owe to all those who served in Afghanistan, and to salute the many acts of courage and sacrifice made by the thousands of men and women involved in the campaign.

“We owe a special debt to those who didn’t return and I hope that their family members are able to join us at the service.”

Invitations to armed forces personnel and next of kin of deceased servicemen and women will be issued in February, the Ministry of Defence said.

The conflict claimed the lives of six Huddersfield troops. They were Lance Cpl Graham Shaw, 27, of Golcar; Capt Lisa Head, 29, of Almondbury; Cpl Jake Hartley, 20, of New Mill; Pte Anton Frampton, 20, of Longwood; Pte Daniel Wilford, 21, of Cowlersley; and Pte Tom Wroe, 18, of Meltham.

Pte Wroe’s dad Mick, of Meltham, said: “It does sound as if it will be a fitting tribute.

“Having the Prince of Wales there will make it all the more special but there will be a lot of sadness as well.

“It is right to honour them but a lot of people are still grieving”.