The 457 Project is a veteran-led initiative created by Connect Through Service to mark the 25th Anniversary of Operation Herrick in 2027. We are crafting exactly 457 timepieces—each individually dedicated to one of the 457 UK service personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan. Each timepiece is accompanied by a dedicated tribute artwork by Kev Wills MBE and an entry in the permanent commemorative book.

One hero. One timepiece. One enduring memory.

457 British service personnel lost their lives during the conflict in Afghanistan. To honour each life given in service individually, the collection is capped at exactly 457 timepieces. We will never produce any additional watches of this design.

Operation Herrick represents a defining chapter for a generation of British service personnel and their families. The 25th Anniversary in 2027 provides a poignant moment to reflect on the campaign and, above all, to ensure the 457 who did not return are never forgotten.

The initiative was created by Connect Through Service (led by Op Herrick veteran Jason Gillard) and is delivered in partnership with Belfast watchmaker Nomadic Watches, military artist Kev Wills MBE, and our charity partners, Scotty’s – The Military Bereavement Charity and Walking With The Wounded.

The timepieces are designed and hand-assembled in Belfast by independent watchmaker Nomadic Watches.

Each timepiece is priced at £1,457. This figure reflects the number of fallen service personnel, with £457 from every sale going directly to our charity partners.

Yes. Space on the caseback allows for up to 30 characters of custom engraving—whether for Op Herrick tour dates, a service number, or a personal inscription of respect. Personalisation details are confirmed directly with Nomadic Watches after your reservation deposit is placed.

The project builds toward the 25th anniversary of Operation Herrick in 2027. Production begins in 2027, and Nomadic Watches will confirm exact delivery timetables individually upon reservation; first deliveries are expected by June 20th, 2027.

A direct £457 donation from every timepiece sold is split equally between Scotty’s – The Military Bereavement Charity and Walking With The Wounded (£228.50 each). If all 457 timepieces are allocated, the project will generate £200,000+ in direct charitable funding.

No. Connect Through Service and the 457 marketing and design partner, Business Checkmate Ltd., receive no profit from 457 timepiece sales and will not process payments. Nomadic Watches manages all financial transactions directly, ensuring 100% of the pledged funds reach our charity partners.

• Scotty’s – The Military Bereavement Charity: Founded by Army widow Nikki Scott following the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan, providing lifelong support to bereaved military children and families.

• Walking With The Wounded: Founded as a direct response to the conflict in Afghanistan, delivering mental health, employment, and care coordination for veterans and their families.

Our goal, where possible, is to create a deeply meaningful connection between every 457 custodian and the fallen service member their timepiece honours:

1. Regimental / Service Connection: For veterans and serving personnel, we first seek to match your timepiece with a fallen service member from your own regiment, corps, branch, or cap badge.

2. Operational Tour Connection: Where regimental matches are fulfilled, we look to match based on shared Operation Herrick tour deployments.

3. General Allocation: Where specific service history connections are unavailable, you will be entrusted with the story of another individual from among the 457. Every allocation carries equal weight and solemn significance.

No. Individual service members or watch numbers cannot be requested or reserved. Allocations are processed systematically and respectfully based on service connections and reservation timestamps to maintain total integrity and fairness.

No. Anyone who wishes to hold a quiet, daily mark of remembrance and support our military community is welcome to register. You do not need to have served in Afghanistan or in the Armed Forces to carry a story forward.

The families of the 457 are at the very heart of this project. If you are a family member of one of the fallen and would like to speak with our team about representing your loved one, please contact us directly. All communications are handled with the utmost respect and care.

Please contact Jay at CTS: jason@trust-cts.com

Every timepiece is accompanied by a dedicated, print tribute artwork by military artist Kev Wills MBE. Each artwork depicts the individual connected to that specific watch, establishing a permanent, physical link between the timepiece and the individual.

The core principle of The 457 Project is one hero, one timepiece, one artwork, and one story. The artwork and timepiece belong together as a single, unbroken tribute and should remain together.

A commemorative book is being produced as part of the project. It records the complete roll of honour—featuring all 457 individuals, their images, and their corresponding watch numbers (Watch 001 through 457).