[h=1]Extraordinary photographs reveal the Royal Navy's daring global operations, from helicopters soaring over Norwegian Fjords at sunset to hand-to-hand combat in the Mojave desert[/h]
Entries for Royal Navy's photo competition ranged from a girl's embrace with her father to beach assault exercises
Will Haigh won Royal Navy Photographer of the Year with selection of photos like that of a Marine in a boxing match
Simmo Simpson won Best Maritime Image Award with image of HMS Dauntless sailing through Gibraltar at sunset
By EKIN KARASIN FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED: 00:06, 7 June 2016 | UPDATED: 01:54, 7 June 2016
From a young girl's gleeful embrace with her sailor father to a rescue mission of desperate migrants fleeing Africa, these stunning photos offer a rare glimpse into the varied lives of marines and sailors in the Royal Navy.
The breathtaking shots from the Royal Navy's annual photo competition depict everything from a helicopter soaring over Norwegian Fjords at sunset to modern urban combat seen up-close in the Mojave desert.
Lieutenant Jamie Weller won the Royal Navy Amateur Maritime Image Award at the Peregrine Trophy awards with his stunning portfolio of Apocalypse Now-style beach assaults and training exercises.
Will Haigh scooped the Royal Navy Photographer of the Year with his work, which includes a tense depiction of a Marine being sprayed with water before the final round of a boxing match
Simmo Simpson snapped up the Best Maritime Image Award with his entry of HMS Dauntless sailing through Gibraltar at sunset.
A beach assault showed Royal Marines and Royal Navy Personnel from 539 Assault Squadron, jumping off an offshore raiding craft, taken by Lieutenant Jamie Weller, who won the Royal Navy Amateur Maritime Image Award at the Peregrine Trophy awards
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Marine Matthew Farran of 40 Commando Royal Marines, composed himself before the third and final round of the Light Welterweight final, in a photo taken by Will Haigh
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HMS Bulwark led the Royal Navy's contribution to the international commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign
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A little girl hugged her father ecstatically in Portsmouth as he returned from a three-month deployment on mine-clearance operations in the Baltic Sea - a photo which won the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity Family and Friends Award
The Wildcat Brigade Reconnaissance helicopter with 847 Naval Air Squadron conducted recce patrols in the Norwegian Fjords, taken by Si Ethell and highly commended for the Maritime Air Prize
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Sergeant Michael 'Taff' Francis of the Alpha Company Fire Support Group captured during a green skills training exercise, taken by Will Haigh
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A man waved farewell to a helicopter during HMS Defender Lynx secondary role training in January this year, an image that was highly commended for the Peregrine Trophy
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The Juliet Company of 42 Commando conducted modern urban combat and close-quarters battle training in the Mojave Desert in the US, taken by Lt Jamie Weller
Lt Weller also stole the Royal Navy Amateur Photographer of the Year Award for his shot of Pymouth based 42 Commando training in the US at the United States Marine Corps Marine Air Ground Combat Training Centre. Joel Rouse won the People's Choice Award with a transcendental snap of a tank lit up by a star-filled sky in an annual exercise at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Centre where the Royal Marines train alongside their American and Dutch counterparts.
And it wasn't just action shots that dominated the renowned competition, as many photos captured the everyday acts of humanity in Royal Navy life in stunning clarity. Heartwrenching images of dazed and exhausted migrants being led onshore by sailors jostled with a shot of a female sailor carefully adjusting a drip at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. One photo showed the majestic HMS Bulwark leading the Royal Navy's contribution to the international commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. The flagship was taking part in sail-past events while Sailors and Royal Marines from the ship attended services of commemoration ashore.
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One photo showed HMS Bulwark saving migrants from a wooden boat on Operation Weald. HMS Bulwark was responsible for the rescue of 5,000 migrants fleeing Africa
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Two members of the Forces flashed gleeful smiles as the Royal Naval Reserve Unit and HMS Vivid conducted its annual divisions
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A beach assault with Royal Marines and Royal Navy personnel from 539 Assault Squadron was captured with a landing craft air cushioned hovercraft in the background in Harstad, Norway
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An expertly camouflaged moment was captured during the Royal Naval Reserves Project - a scheme to fast-track Officer Cadets for the Royal Naval Reserve through their basic training
A medical technician adjusted a drip in a Royal Navy recruiting campaign at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth - an image that was highly commended for the Royal Navy Photographer of the Year
The Peregrine Trophy dates back to 1961 and is named after HMS Peregrine Royal Naval Air Station in Sussex. It aims to encourage eye-catching, powerful imagery that can be used in the media to demonstrate the Royal Navy and Royal Marine's operations. The Peregrine Trophy was awarded to the section or unit submitting the best portfolio of six prints (in black and white and/or colour) of service-related subjects. Several noteworthy entries were made for the Commandant General Royal Marines' Prize, which was awarded for the best section or unit portfolio of four images, depicting the Royal Marines continuous amphibious and expeditionary readiness.
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One transcendental shot captured the Exercise Black Alligator, an annual exercise held at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Centre where the Royal Marines train alongside their American and Dutch counterparts, taken by Joel Rouse - who won the People's Choice Award
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Marine Chase was captured during an intense boarding exercise, taken by Will Haigh, who won the Royal Navy Photographer of the Year
A panoramic shot depicted operational tests on F35-B stealth fighter aircraft being recorded ahead of the planes joining the Queen Elizabeth class carriers
The Plymouth-based 42 Commando pictured at the Marine Air Ground Combat Training Centre in the US, taken by Lt Jamie Weller
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Captain Rex Cox Royal Navy, the Commanding Officer of HMS Dragon, was transported from the ship by a Portsmouth City bus and was transported to a Dragon boat which was rowed by his officers on his final day
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HMS Defender took the opportunity to create a visually striking swirl in the sea with four Euro Fighters flying from RNAS Culdrose
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Members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines practised their marching skills ahead of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London
Helicopter Force and Lima Company hovered above barren wasteland during exercise Black Alligator, taken by Lt Jamie Weller
An image of four men from the Royal Marine Reserves Henley detatchment moving from Henley to Oxford caught the eye. Lieutenant Colonel Edward Moorhouse and Lance Corporal Vincent paddled determinedly up the River Thames, followed by Marine Alan Pearce and Marine Borrett. They conducted a paddle in Uniform, transiting from Henley through the night to their new location in Oxford, in time for the official opening by Commodore Andrew Jameson. Not excluding the younger budding photographers, the competition also had a Sea Cadet Amateur Open Category Award. The section looked for the single best photograph of a Sea Cadet theme that combined technical excellence, creativity, impact and highlighted the Sea Cadet experience. The RN Amateur Open Category Award saw an impressive entry that depicted band members looking relaxed and sharing a laugh as their trombones, drums, flutes and clarinets decorated a lavish drawing room. Another evocative image in the category featured a line of sailors holding their hats which bore the golden words 'HMS Seahawk' embossed on the black ribbon.
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One particularly emotive image depicted members of the Forces helping a boat crammed full of migrants edge to the shore
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A photo portrayed an impressive ceremony as hoardes of visitors turned up at Cutty Sark, a British clipper ship in London
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HMS Monmouth was pictured in stunning high definition from a head-on angle as it sailed from HMNB Devonport
AB Harry Hickman captured mid-action as he pulled at ropes onboard with other crew members, taken by Will Haigh
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Lieutenant Colonel Edward Moorhouse and Lance Corporal Vincent glass paddled up the river Thames followed by Marine Alan Pearce and Marine Borrett
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Simmo Simpson, of HMS Dauntless Routine Visit to Gibraltar, as he won the Best Maritime Image Award at the Peregrine Trophy award
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Members of HMS Protector's Ship's Company trekked over snow and ice for an educational visit to the historic Captain Scott's hut in Cape Evans, Antarctica, during a brief break in operations
The Duke of Edinburgh - accompanied by First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas - was on board HMS Ranger while he conducted a review of 200 vessels owned by Squadron members off Cowe
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Three helicopters were captured soaring through the skies in seamless symmetry in an entry for the RN Amateur Photographer of the Year Award
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The Band of HM Royal Marines Collingwood performed a full-scale proms-style show at the Boscombe stage on the first night of the four-day Bournemouth Air Festival 2015
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An honorary officer's dinner with golden chairs and lavish settings took place on board the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, London
Royal Navy Sailors pictured after putting up the Jack Staff on board HMS Defender during Operatoin Kipion in Bahrain
In last year's competition Chief Petty Officer Thomas McDonald was awarded the Peregrine Trophy for his portfolio which included an emotive photograph of a crew member being welcomed home after the Royal Navy mine hunter, HMS Ramsey, returned to HM Naval Base Clyde following three years in the Gulf. The first three women to qualify as Royal Navy submariners, Lieutenants Maxine Stiles, Alex Olsson and Penny Thackray also starred in one of his stunning images. Si Ethell won the Best Maritime Image Award for photograph of HMS Protector breaking ice as it sailed past Galindez Island in the South Atlantic. There were 350 professional entries and 65 amateur images from 11 hopefuls presented.
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HMS Defender seen conducting joint military training with FS Provence in the Indian Ocean - an image that was highly commended for the Peregrine Trophy
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HMS Monmouth Dress Ship, decorated with vivid flags fluttering in the breeze, was seen cutting through the water in an entry for the RN Amateur Photographer of the Year Award
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The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, strode across a walkway to board the Cutty Sark ship in Greenwich, London
Band members relaxed and shared a laugh as their trombones, drums, flutes and clarinets decorated an opulent drawing room
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A beach assault with Royal Marines and Royal Navy Personnel from 539 Assault Squadron was captured in breathtaking high-definition with a domineering offshore raiding craft parked in the background
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One evocative image featured a line of sailors holding their hats which bore the golden words 'HMS Seahawk' embossed on the black ribbon
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An entry for the Sea Cadet Amateur Open Category Award captured young cadets bearing life jackets rowing a boat
