Incredible images offer rare glimpse into life inside Royal Navy for sailors and marines on frontline

INCREDIBLE images offer a rare glimpse into life inside the Royal Navy for sailor and marines on the frontline. The thrilling snaps show the Senior Service carrying out vital missions across the world – and have been recognised at the Navy’s annual photography competition, ’The Peregrine Trophy’.  All of the skilled photographers are serving sailors […]

INCREDIBLE images offer a rare glimpse into life inside the Royal Navy for sailor and marines on the frontline.

The thrilling snaps show the Senior Service carrying out vital missions across the world – and have been recognised at the Navy’s annual photography competition, ’The Peregrine Trophy’. 

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Royal Marines of 45 Commando fire a .50 calibre heavy machine gun in Estonia on Exercise Baltic Protector 2019, as part of the Joint Expeditionary Force in Tapa[/caption]

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A member of 5845 Naval Air Squadron is pictured conducting a search and rescue of a pilot at sea as part of a training exercise in how to recover personnel onto HMS Queen Elizabeth[/caption]

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Norwegian anti-submarine frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl with the UK’s Carrier Strike Group as it transits east across the Atlantic [/caption]

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A photo shows a Merlin helicopter just before landing on the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier during trials off the east coast of the USA[/caption]

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AB WTR William Augustine, during Ceremonial Parade Training at HMS Excellent.[/caption]

All of the skilled photographers are serving sailors or members of the Royal Marines, and follow the warships and commandos wherever they go. 

Leading photographer Kyle Heller was named the Royal Navy’s photographer of the year for his stunning portfolio of imagery. 

The talented photographer joined the Service in 1998 aged just 17, before later becoming a Royal Navy photographer in late 2009. 

This includes pictures from HMS Queen Elizabeth’s historic deployment to the east coast of the USA, which saw British F-35B Lightning jets land on the aircraft carrier. 

Thrilled Kyle said: “This is a job like no other – it sounds clichéd, but it’s true. I’m still trying to get my head round winning the award, in all honesty. 

“I’m not one for the plaudits at all and for me it’s about the opportunities, experience and variation that you get with this job. There really is nothing like it.

“Life is never dull and you’re there as part of history in those big moments.

“Seeing the Lightning jets land for the first time is that part of history you’re there for and won’t forget.”

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A Merlin helicopter from 845 Naval Air Squadron lifting off from the flight deck of RFA Argus[/caption]

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5845 Naval Air Squadron conducting a search and rescue of an isolated pilot, who has become stranded at sea, as part of a training exercise[/caption]

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Royal Navy sailor, LAET Phillip Hulbert, searches the crowd for his family as HMS Queen Elizabeth returns to Portsmouth from deployment to the USA[/caption]

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Lightning jet pilot walking across HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck with his fighter jet in the background[/caption]

The Peregrine Trophy dates back to 1961, and is named after the HMS Peregrine Royal Naval Air station in Sussex. 

Over 250 images and video were submitted for this year’s awards. 

They were judged by a star studded panel including Richard Richard Pohle of The Times, Steve Parsons of the Press Association, Jane Sherwood of Getty Images, Lee Durant of the BBC, Jack Ashdown of Great State and director of photography and cinematography Vince Knight.

There will be no formal awards ceremony this year due to Covid-19.

However, the images will be on public display at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire from December through to March.

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A member of HMS Cattistock’s crew returns home to his family after ten months away on a NATO deployment[/caption]

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Royal Marines loading up onto a Merlin helicopter during fast roping exercises on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth[/caption]

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Royal Marines in a Merlin helicopter during fast roping exercises on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth.[/caption]

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HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck during operational testing with the UK’s F-35B Lightning jets[/caption]