Efforts to bring peace to the Middle East and fight the spread of Ebola in Africa have been singled out by Royal Navy commanders as the Senior Service recognises the best ships and units of the past 12 months.

More than a dozen Fleet Effectiveness Trophies are being awarded to surface ships and Royal Marines Units whose actions and efforts in 2014 stood out above and beyond the normal call of duty (the Fleet Air Arm and Submarine Service present their own awards).

RFA Argus – deployed to Freetown for the past two months with 350 sailors, soldiers and airmen as part of Britain's contribution to efforts to halt the progress of Ebola in Sierra Leone – was singled out as the finest of the 13 support vessels in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's flotilla.