Millies 2017: Special Recognition Award

The winner of the Military Awards 2017 Special Recognition award is the tri-service contingent involved in the relief efforts of Hurricane Irma and Maria.

Hurricane Irma was the most powerful hurricane to hit the Caribbean in living memory and RFA Mounts Bay and its crew was the first on the scene.

When presenting the award, Prime Minister Theresa May said:

"It is great that the Millies have become a feature on our national calendar.

"We owe them [the Armed Forces and their families] a debt of gratitude. We have heard some stories today of tremendous bravery, hard work and commitment."

As progress in the relief effort was being made, forecasters predicted Hurricane Maria, a second category five hurricane would hit the region.

UK troops and residents in the Caribbean braced themselves for the "potentially catastrophic" Hurricane Maria as it swept towards British Overseas Territories already battered by Hurricane Irma two weeks before.

A Royal Navy helicopter rescued a mother and her two children stranded on the upturned hull of a boat capsized by Hurricane Maria.

Dramatic footage filmed by the US Coast Guard showed the family waving frantically as a Wildcat helicopter circled overhead.

Then, in a joint operation by the helicopter from 216 Flight and the US Coast Guard, the woman and two children were winched to safety.

On the British Virgin Islands, 40 Commando Royal Marines along with Royal Engineers were helping some those most in need.

17 Port and Maritime Regt RLC offered a vital logistics package.

Catch all the action from the red carpet to backstage interviews from this year's Military Awards, Monday night at 6pm & 10pm... Exclusively on Forces TV on Freeview 96, Virgin 277, Sky 264 and Freesat 165.