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The unseen side of the Forces: Intimate photographs shed light on Army life

  • Overall winner: 'Celtic Warrior' by Corporal James Peters, of Private Ross Cunningham from 1SCOTS cleaning his personal weapon. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)
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    Overall winner: 'Celtic Warrior' by Corporal James Peters, of Private Ross Cunningham from 1SCOTS cleaning his personal weapon. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)

    Overall winner: 'Celtic Warrior' by Corporal James Peters, of Private Ross Cunningham from 1SCOTS cleaning his personal weapon. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)
  • Amateur Portrait, runner up: 'Watching' by Captain Scammell, of Staff Sergeant Paul Zaman from 32 Regt Royal Artillery, just back from a patrol/recce. (Capt Scammell/ NAM)<br><br>
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    Amateur Portrait, runner up: 'Watching' by Captain Scammell, of Staff Sergeant Paul Zaman from 32 Regt Royal Artillery, just back from a patrol/recce. (Capt Scammell/ NAM)

    Amateur Portrait, runner up: 'Watching' by Captain Scammell, of Staff Sergeant Paul Zaman from 32 Regt Royal Artillery, just back from a patrol/recce. (Capt Scammell/ NAM)

  • Professional Operational Image: 'Sunset Soldiers' by Corporal Peters, of Sappers from the 21 Engineer Regiment working as the sun sets. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)
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    Professional Operational Image: 'Sunset Soldiers' by Corporal Peters, of Sappers from the 21 Engineer Regiment working during the sunset. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)

    Professional Operational Image: 'Sunset Soldiers' by Corporal Peters, of Sappers from the 21 Engineer Regiment working as the sun sets. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)
  • Professional Sport /Adventure Training: 'Paddle Power' by Graeme Main of Major Chis Elesmore, Royal Signals practising at Newgale beach near Brawdy, St Davids Bay, Wales. (Graeme Main/ NAM)
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    Professional Sport /Adventure Training: 'Paddle Power' by Graeme Main of Major Chis Elesmore, Royal Signals practising at Newgale beach near Brawdy, St Davids Bay, Wales. (Graeme Main/ NAM)

    Professional Sport /Adventure Training: 'Paddle Power' by Graeme Main of Major Chis Elesmore, Royal Signals practising at Newgale beach near Brawdy, St Davids Bay, Wales. (Graeme Main/ NAM)
  • Amateur Operational Image: 'Snap VCP' by Trooper Wade of two soldiers and an interpreter questioning a motorcyclist in Northern Helmand, Afghanistan, while his young daughter watches. (Tpr Wade/ NAM)
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    Amateur Operational Image: 'Snap VCP' by Trooper Wade of two soldiers and an interpreter questioning a motorcyclist in Northern Helmand, Afghanistan, while his young daughter watches. (Tpr Wade/ NAM)

    Amateur Operational Image: 'Snap VCP' by Trooper Wade of two soldiers and an interpreter questioning a motorcyclist in Northern Helmand, Afghanistan, while his young daughter watches. (Tpr Wade/ NAM)
  • Amateur portrait: ‘Rocky Slumber’ by Sgt Van Zyl of Private Ballan from FSG (Fire Support Group), Support Company (Y-Company), 1st Battalion the Princes of Wales's Royal Regiment in Kenya, taking a break and eating Oreo cookies. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)
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    Amateur portrait: ‘Rocky Slumber’ by Sgt Van Zyl of Private Ballan from FSG (Fire Support Group), Support Company (Y-Company), 1st Battalion the Princes of Wales's Royal Regiment in Kenya, taking a break and eating Oreo cookies. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)

    Amateur portrait: ‘Rocky Slumber’ by Sgt Van Zyl of Private Ballan from FSG (Fire Support Group), Support Company (Y-Company), 1st Battalion the Princes of Wales's Royal Regiment in Kenya, taking a break and eating Oreo cookies. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)
  • Amateur Sport: 'Waterhorse' by Lance Corporal of Horse Dan Short, a trainee Household Calvary soldier riding at Holkom Beach in Norfolk. (Dan Short/ NAM)
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    Amateur Sport: 'Waterhorse' by Lance Corporal of Horse Dan Short, of a trainee Household Calvary soldier riding at Holkom Beach in Norfolk. (Dan Short/ NAM)

    Amateur Sport: 'Waterhorse' by Lance Corporal of Horse Dan Short, a trainee Household Calvary soldier riding at Holkom Beach in Norfolk. (Dan Short/ NAM)
  • Runner up Amateur Sport: 'Smash' by Sgt Van Zyl. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)
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    Runner up Amateur Sport: 'Smash' by Sgt Van Zyl. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)

    Runner up Amateur Sport: 'Smash' by Sgt Van Zyl. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)
  • Professional Portrait, Runner up: 'Carl' by Sergeant Frere of Corporal Carl Hines Royal Artillery providing cover fire while members of the 4 Brigade Reconnaissance Force move across open ground. (Sgt Frere/ NAM)
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    Professional Portrait, Runner up: 'Carl' by Sergeant Frere of Corporal Carl Hines Royal Artillery providing cover fire while members of the 4 Brigade Reconnaissance Force move across open ground. (Sgt Frere/ NAM)

    Professional Portrait, Runner up: 'Carl' by Sergeant Frere of Corporal Carl Hines Royal Artillery providing cover fire while members of the 4 Brigade Reconnaissance Force move across open ground. (Sgt Frere/ NAM)
  • Professional Portrait: 'The Powder Room' by Corporal Calder of Private Craig Leaman from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment during a training exercise in Kenya. (Cpl Calder/ NAM)
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    Professional Portrait: 'The Powder Room' by Corporal Calder of Private Craig Leaman from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment during a training exercise in Kenya. (Cpl Calder/ NAM)

    Professional Portrait: 'The Powder Room' by Corporal Calder of Private Craig Leaman from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment during a training exercise in Kenya. (Cpl Calder/ NAM)
Overall winner: 'Celtic Warrior' by Corporal James Peters, of Private Ross Cunningham from 1SCOTS cleaning his personal weapon. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)
Amateur Portrait, runner up: 'Watching' by Captain Scammell, of Staff Sergeant Paul Zaman from 32 Regt Royal Artillery, just back from a patrol/recce. (Capt Scammell/ NAM)<br><br>
Professional Operational Image: 'Sunset Soldiers' by Corporal Peters, of Sappers from the 21 Engineer Regiment working as the sun sets. (Cpl Peters/ NAM)
Professional Sport /Adventure Training: 'Paddle Power' by Graeme Main of Major Chis Elesmore, Royal Signals practising at Newgale beach near Brawdy, St Davids Bay, Wales. (Graeme Main/ NAM)
Amateur Operational Image: 'Snap VCP' by Trooper Wade of two soldiers and an interpreter questioning a motorcyclist in Northern Helmand, Afghanistan, while his young daughter watches. (Tpr Wade/ NAM)
Amateur portrait: ‘Rocky Slumber’ by Sgt Van Zyl of Private Ballan from FSG (Fire Support Group), Support Company (Y-Company), 1st Battalion the Princes of Wales's Royal Regiment in Kenya, taking a break and eating Oreo cookies. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)
Amateur Sport: 'Waterhorse' by Lance Corporal of Horse Dan Short, a trainee Household Calvary soldier riding at Holkom Beach in Norfolk. (Dan Short/ NAM)
Runner up Amateur Sport: 'Smash' by Sgt Van Zyl. (Sgt Van Zyl/ NAM)
Professional Portrait, Runner up: 'Carl' by Sergeant Frere of Corporal Carl Hines Royal Artillery providing cover fire while members of the 4 Brigade Reconnaissance Force move across open ground. (Sgt Frere/ NAM)
Professional Portrait: 'The Powder Room' by Corporal Calder of Private Craig Leaman from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment during a training exercise in Kenya. (Cpl Calder/ NAM)
Updated

A young private cleaning his weapon has won the top prize in the Army Photographic Competition. Images from all aspects of Army life, from resting in a dusty trench eating cookies to providing cover fire have been recognised in the photography competition. As the final deployment of British troops in Afghanistan begins, these thought-provoking and beautiful images show the bond between soldiers as well as candid moments on and off duty. The images will be on display at the National Army Museum in London until October 22.