From a fire-breathing padre to a machine gun platoon on a training exercise, these incredible images offer a glimpse behind the scenes of Army life.
Now, members of the public are being invited to vote for their favourite photograph from this year’s selection for the online category of the Army Photographic Competition.
The 12 images, which show Britain’s soldiers at work and play, are all contenders in the annual contest, and have been taken by amateur and professional soldier cameramen.
A tank crushes a car on a combined arms assault on Copehill Down, Wiltshire, urban operations training area. This is one of the 12 remarkable images shortlisted for the online category of the Army Photographic Competition
Pegasus Company candidates are seen at the end of the Log Race in difficult weather conditions on Catterick Training Area, North Yorkshire
The ‘Fire-Breathing Padre’: The dozen pictures show Britain’s soldiers at work and play, are all contenders in the annual contest
Infantry Battle School, Brecon, Wales. The Section Commanders Battle Course 1603, staff and students, are pictured on Fan Dance, a section level competition over 18km in the Brecon Beacons
Britons are being urged to choose their favourite photo on the British Army Facebook website and the one with the most likes on October 18 will win the category.
The photos include a stirring image of a soldier’s shadow on a war memorial by Sarah Holland and a picture showing Pegasus Company candidates at the end of the Log Race in difficult weather conditions on Catterick Training Area in North Yorkshire.
Another image, taken by Bombardier Murray Kerr, shows soldiers sleeping after a training exercise and a black and white photo by Adam Blackmore-Heal shows a soldier on horseback in front of Big Ben, taken when the Blues and Royals visited the Palace of Westminster.
Machine Gun Platoon from D Company, 6 Rifles fire the GPMG (general purpose machine gun) in the sustained fire role at night on Sennybridge Training Area, Wales. The reservists, who are recruited from the South West of England, have been conducting continuation training as part of the Battalion’s Annual Deployment Exercise
Britons are being urged to choose their favourite photo on the British Army Facebook website and the one with the most likes on October 18 will win the category. Above, ‘Memorial’, taken in Andover, Hampshire, is among the shortlisted entries
Soldiers are seen sleeping after a training exercise at Longmoor Training Area in Hampshire
British Soldiers 3rd Battalion, The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, conduct house clearance drills on exercise Northern Strike
A dramatic picture by Corporal Timothy Jones shows a tank crushing a car on a combined arms assault, while a photo of soldiers at the bottom of a staircase, by Corporal Jonathan van Zyl, shows them conducting house clearance drills.
Other images show soldiers boxing in a ring, getting changed into their uniforms and carrying out training exercises.
The Army recently launched a new mission, called Operation Camera. In its sights is anyone with a potentially winning photo of the British Army.
‘Op Camera’, as soldiers call it, is a new category in the annual Army Photographic Competition, which has previously not been open to the public.
‘We’ve got great photographers in the Army,’ said Command Master Photographer WO1 Will Craig, ‘but we realised that lots of other people have fabulous photos of what we do, including members of the public and our colleagues in the Royal Navy and the RAF.’
Among the striking pictures is this one, titled ‘The Rifles’. The Army also recently launched a new category, called Operation Camera, which allows members of the public to enter their photos of the British Army
Another of the 12 finalists is Guy Butler’s image of military pugilists, titled ‘Let’s Box’
The Blues and Royals are pictured visiting the Palace of Westminster in London
The Army has also created a special new category for cadet organisations. Called ‘Cadet Life’, it is open to all young people in the Army Cadet Force or any section of the Combined Cadet Force.
‘Cadet Life is a brilliant opportunity to show life in the cadets from a cadet’s point of view,’ said Mr Craig.
‘Everyone seems to have cameras on their phones these days, so the big question is: “Have you taken – or can you get out and take – any good photos with a British Army theme?” ‘
In both categories, judges will be looking for high-quality photographs that can be used to promote the Army across traditional and social media channels.
Running for more than 20 years, many of the entries have traditionally come from trained Army photographers from the Royal Logistic Corps.
Also in the running is ‘Buckle Up, by Pete Brown. The photos in the competition have been taken by both amateur and professional soldier cameramen
‘The advantage our photographers have is that, as soldiers first, they deploy on operations with other soldiers to capture life on front lines and training areas around the world,’ said Mr Craig.
‘They are the eyes of the Army and capture and share an unrivalled view of Army life right at the heart of the action.
‘But they can’t be everywhere, and we know lots of people take good photos of soldiers and what they do – and we’d love to see them.’
Other categories in the Army Photographic Competition – including video, for social media – remain open to any Regular Army and Army Reserve personnel, as well as cadets including the Army’s University Officer Training Corps. Ministry of Defence civilians who work directly for the Army can also enter.
‘We’re also asking the public to vote for their favourite picture,’ said Mr Craig. ‘If you follow the Army channels on Facebook and Instagram you’ll be able take part’.
Full details can be found at www.army.mod.uk/photocomp