Portrait of Britain is presented by British Journal of Photography. Photographer Rory Lewis portrait of British Army Officer Lieutenant Batts has been selected. The first female combat officer and tank commander in British History. The historic move comes after a long-standing ban on women serving on the frontline was lifted by the PM in July 2018.

Batts is incredibly proud perform her duties in The Royal Tank Regiment. Commanding 4 Challenger II Battle Tanks, Sarah has been in her active role for just over 1 year.

Female soldiers repeatedly saw front line service in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts while attached to male-only units as medics, engineers and logistics experts.

“To enable women to serve in the combat arms – something of which we should all be incredibly proud.” Quote from the Prime Minister Theresa May on the day of Sarah’s historic Sandhurst pass out.

Captured as part of Soldiery (British Army Portraits), has been selected to appear in a Nationwide Exhibition. Shortlisted from 13,000 entires, 100 Portraits of the exhibition will go live on Saturday 1st September 2019. Portrait of Britain is being billed as the UK’s biggest exhibition of portraiture. Being exhibited across JCDecaux’s nationwide screens, appearing in public places throughout the UK. The portrait also features in the Portrait of Britain book, available from Amazon. This constitutes Rory’s 3rd win of the Portrait of Britain over three years.

Simon Bainbridge, editorial director of the British Journal of Photography, said: “The portraits celebrate the unique heritage and diversity of modern Britain, as much as its thriving photography culture and the myriad styles and approaches they employ in their work. Yet, as much as our tribal allegiances are on show in many of the photographs, each image reminds us that, above all, we are a nation of individuals.