Sailor wins award for stunning Afghanistan images

PO Shread documented the efforts of British troops to evacuate civilians from Kabul

Striking images of the military withdrawal from Afghanistan have earned a Royal Navy sailor the service's highest photography prize.

Photographer, Petty Officer Ben Shread, captured the efforts of British soldiers, sailors and airmen during the chaotic exit in August.

He's since been named the Royal Navy's Photographer of the Year.

The 43-year-old, who was once the Prime Minister's personal photographer, said he was 'overwhelmed'.

Petty Officer Shread's images from the Afghanistan withdrawal won him the Peregrine Trophy Photographer of the Year award

"Winning any trophy is a huge honour and I am overwhelmed to have been selected to win the top prize of Photographer of the Year," he said.

Petty Officer Shread, originally from Plymouth but now living in Glasgow with his family, was part of a two-man team dispatched to Kabul to record the actions of UK forces.

Another of PO Shread's images

"Winning it with my images from Op Pitting makes it even better - it helps further highlight the great work the British military were doing out in Afghanistan."

PO Shread's images were used by media outlets worldwide.

An F35b jet captured from the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth

The Peregrine Trophy awards recognised a number of military personnel who joined as sailors or marines before retraining as specialist camera operators.

Over the past 12 months they have captured stunning imagery from the Arctic to both sides of the Pacific, as well as the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Black Sea and the Gulf.

Royal Marines from 47 Commando undergoing training in Scotland

The funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh and State ceremonies among the other tasks undertaken by the photographic branch.

Amateur photographers were also recognised in the awards.

'HMS Queen Elizabeth departs the bright lights of Portsmouth' won the amateur maritime image prize

The Peregrine Trophy itself - awarded to the best photographic team or unit across the Royal Navy - went to the team at HMS Drake in Plymouth.

"This is our second Peregrine Trophy in three years and an amazing achievement by the whole team here," said Petty Officer Alex Ceolin, who also won an individual award chosen by the public for a silhouette of patrol ship HMS Tamar accompanied by dolphins at sunset.

HMS Tamar captured by Petty Officer Alex Ceolin

More than 500 entries were submitted this year judged by professionals from the likes of Getty Images, The Times, Press Association and the BBC.