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Significant moments captured in Royal Navy photo competition

PA News

A striking array of images taken by sailors have impressed judges at the Royal Navy’s annual photographic competition.

The Royal Navy’s own dedicated photographers follow warships and commandos wherever they go, capturing significant moments and a behind-the-scenes look at missions carried out across the world.

A member of HMS Cattistock’s crew returning home to his family after ten months away on a Nato deployment, taken by Barry Swainsbury, which was awarded the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity Family and Friends Award (LPhot Barry Swainsbury/MoD/Crown Copyright)
A member of HMS Cattistock’s crew returning home to his family after ten months away on a Nato deployment, taken by Barry Swainsbury, which was awarded the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity Family and Friends Award (LPhot Barry Swainsbury/MoD/Crown Copyright)
Norwegian anti-submarine frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl with the UK’s Carrier Strike Group as it transits east across the Atlantic following deployment to the USA, taken by Leading Photographer Kyle Heller (LPhot Kyle Heller/MoD/Crown Copyright)
Norwegian anti-submarine frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl with the UK’s Carrier Strike Group as it transits east across the Atlantic following deployment to the USA, taken by Leading Photographer Kyle Heller (LPhot Kyle Heller/MoD/Crown Copyright)

The photographers, all of them serving sailors or Royal Marines, have now been recognised for their imagery in the Peregrine Trophy.

The award dates back to 1961 and is named after the HMS Peregrine Royal Naval Air Station in Sussex.

Photographer Kyle Heller was named the Royal Navy’s photographer of the year by the judges for his portfolio of images from HMS Queen Elizabeth’s deployment to the east coast of the US.

An F-35B Lightning jet sits on HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck during her Westlant 19 deployment to the east coast of the US, taken by Kyle Heller (LPhot Kyle Heller/MoD/Crown Copyright)
An F-35B Lightning jet sits on HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck during her Westlant 19 deployment to the east coast of the US, taken by Kyle Heller (LPhot Kyle Heller/MoD/Crown Copyright)
A Royal Marines assault engineer of 45 Commando preparing a charge during ice demolition training in the Arctic Circle, taken by Leading Photographer Stevie Burke (LPhot Stevie Burke/MoD/Crown Copyright)
A Royal Marines assault engineer of 45 Commando preparing a charge during ice demolition training in the Arctic Circle, taken by Leading Photographer Stevie Burke (LPhot Stevie Burke/MoD/Crown Copyright)

Currently based at the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall, he joined the Royal Navy in 1998 aged 17 before coming a photographer in late 2009.

HMS Queen Elizabeth won the Peregrine Trophy for their collection of images from the deployment, which Mr Heller was part of.

“I’m still trying to get my head round winning the award, in all honesty,” he said.

The Cenotaph in London, taken by AB Chris Sellers, which won the Royal Navy Association Award (AB Chris Sellers/MoD/Crown Copyright)
The Cenotaph in London, taken by AB Chris Sellers, which won the Royal Navy Association Award (AB Chris Sellers/MoD/Crown Copyright)
Sea Cadets in uniform by Sea Cadet Kayleigh Fairbairn (MoD/Crown Copyright)
Sea Cadets in uniform by Sea Cadet Kayleigh Fairbairn (MoD/Crown Copyright)

“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.”

Due to Covid-19 restrictions there will be no formal awards ceremony this year but the images will be on public display at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire from December through to March.


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