Yomper Statue
Royal Marine Barracks Eastney, Portsmouth, England

The "Yomper" statue located at the entrance to Royal Marine Barracks Eastney, Portsmouth, England. The Marines have their own word for a forced march under full battle kit toward an objective "yomping".  When Margaret Thatcher decided that the Argentines were NOT going to be allowed to remain in occupation of that little bit of Britain in the South Atlantic the battle plan included the landing of Royal Marine Commandos at San Carlos Bay and a forced march under Argentine fire across barren and inhospitable territory to Port Stanley. 

The planners reckoned it would take 8 days, the Royals did it in 3 and a half days. The photograph of a young marine with the union flag taped to his radio antenna became an iconic symbol of that  "yomp" and the word came into national use. When a National Memorial to the men of the Marines engaged in the Falklands War was being arranged  what image could have been decided upon but a yomper. And there he stands tall and proud.  The statue was unveiled by Lady Thatcher who, like Churchill in WW2, was regarded as the war leader of our time.



Close-up of the dedication plaque on the Yomper Statue.



Another view of the Yomper statue.
(All photos and text courtesy of Robert Edmonds)
© 2010 Robert Edmonds all rights reserved





Page published July 6, 2010