BBC News Interview (The 'changing face' of the British Army) 3rd February 2018
RORY LEWIS
Thank you to BBC News Defence correspondent Jonathan Beale, who attended the opening of Soldiery British Army Portraits, on 31st January 2018 at the National Army Musuem. Taking the time to interview myself and several of the sitters. Please see full transcript below.
(Full Interview) 3rd February, 2018
(The 'changing face' of the British Army)
Written by: Jonathan Beale
BBC News Interview (The 'changing face' of the British Army) 3rd February 2018 Rory Lewis Photographer
The intent was clearly to appeal to an audience that might have reservations about a career in the Army.
But there's also another message: The British Army's changing.
A new photographic exhibition, Soldiery, portrays the Army in a similar light.
A 'labour of love'
Rory Lewis specialises in portraits - taking inspiration from artists like Hans Holbein the Younger, Titian and George Dawe.
He says he likes to capture solemnity. None of his subjects are seen smiling.
It took him two years to photograph 278 portraits of today's soldiers for what he calls a "labour of love".
He says the faces show the British Army in all its guises - from ceremonial to combat as well as the more iconic regiments from the Gurkhas to the Grenadier Guards.
Many of the uniforms are a manifestation of the history and traditions of the service.
But the faces also illustrate the transformation of the men and women who now wear them.
In reality the vast majority of the British Army is still male and white - men like General Sir James Everard, who was instrumental in getting Rory access for his project.
Like many of the Army's top brass General Everard is from a relatively privileged middle class and privately educated background.
But he believes these old stereotypes are slowly being broken down.
When he joined 35 years ago he reminds me that "homosexuality was still illegal in the Army".
A strong advocate of diversity, General Sir Everard has served as patron of the Army LGBT Forum.
Female role models
Among the portraits on display at the National Army Museum is that of Susan Ridge - the first woman to hold the rank of Major General in the British Army.
General Everard believes it's only a matter of time before the Army has its first female four-star general.
"It takes time to grow them but it's definitely coming," he says.
But he insists that in some ways the Army hasn't changed.
When he joined the 17th and 21st Lancers, now the Royal Lancers, he recalls "despite all the rules and regulations, they didn't care who or what you were as long as you could do the job".
That attitude he insists is the same today.
Captain Julian Anani-Isaac is also an officer in the Royal Lancers, whose history stretches back more than 300 years.
He joined the army four years ago because he says he believes it's "a force for good and I didn't want to be stuck behind a desk".
As a black officer he says: "I haven't had any problem with racism."
While he says he's still sure racism does exist and "we're not angels" he also believes it's quickly stamped out.
"If you have problems," he says "there are people you can go to".
'Rufty-tufty'
Warrant Officer Deborah Penny, of the Royal Logistic Corps, says she's proof the Army's become more inclusive.
She joined more than 30 years ago as a he.
"When I first joined it was rufty-tufty and a lot of bullying went on," she says.
She adds if she'd identified as a transgender soldier when she first joined in the 1980s she'd have been thrown out.
Now she says you can be "transgender like me".
Deborah became the first transgender soldier to serve on the frontline in Afghanistan.
She says "transitioning was a bit hard to begin with but now we're allowing soldiers to be themselves".
She was one of six LGBT soldiers photographed by Rory Lewis.