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YOMPERS REUNITED
Falklands marines back together 40 years on to recreate iconic photo taken on day Argentina surrendered islands
IT is the most famous image of the Falklands War – six Royal Marines yomping with the Union Jack proudly flying from their radio aerial.
Yet apart from flag bearer Pete Robinson, the other Marines have never been publicly identified — until now.
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This week The Sun brought six of them together on Dartmoor, Devon, where they met again for the first time in 40 years.
We also reunited the heroes with commando photographer Pete Holdgate who took the iconic picture on June 14, 1982, the day Argentina surrendered.
Pete, now 71, recreated his famous “yomper” photo which came to symbolise Britain’s incredible battle to win back the tiny South Atlantic islands 8,000 miles from the UK.
Four decades ago they were fit young Royal Marines who were forced to yomp — slang for route-march — across nearly 80 miles of freezing terrain to help defeat Argentina’s occupying force of 10,000 troops.
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Today, as they meet for the first time since the photo was taken, the years melt away.
After a series of back-breaking bear hugs and bootneck banter, each man proudly puts on his green beret.
They grab their Bergen backpacks — mercifully light compared to the 10st they weighed back then — and fall into the formation they were pictured in 40 years ago.
Flying the flag is Corporal Pete Robinson, 63, from Swindon, while ahead of him, snaking into the distance, are Marines Will Evans, 60, of Tamworth, Staffs, Alec Watt, 58, from Plymouth, Ray Houghton, John ‘Taff’ Davies and Colin Adams.
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Colin, 58, from Kew, West London, says: “None of us knew how iconic that shot would be, so taking it again has been a great opportunity.”
Photographer Pete says: “We haven’t seen each other since the Falklands War. A massive thank you to The Sun for getting us all together from the four corners of the country.”
The flag for our 2022 photo is a bit bigger than the one in 1982 because no one knows where the original went. The yompers hope a Sun reader may solve the mystery.
Will Evans found the original flag on the cruise ship SS Canberra on the way to the conflict and it was pressed into service to transport British troops to the islands.
Colin Adams had just celebrated his 18th birthday when Argentina invaded the Falklands on April 2. By May 21 Colin was in a landing craft motoring in the pitch dark towards Blue Beach with his comrades from 40 Commando.
He remembers: “Being the youngest in the troop, I found myself pushed to the front. Apparently it is military tradition that the youngest has the honour of being the first out.
Yomper reunited
Britain's heroes (L-R)
Marine John 'Taff' Davies: THE Welshman left the Marines in 1992 after a 20-year career. He has worked as a civil servant ever since.
Marine Colin Adams: ULSTER veteran Colin was selected for the SBS but was medically discharged in 1999. Suffering from PTSD, he worked as a diving instructor in Australia and met Argentine veterans in 2019. He is now married to Sally.
Marine Alec Watt: ALEC has since worked in retail fraud man-agement and as a seaweed farmer. Married to Amanda, 54, he has a son Theo, nine, and is stepdad to Miles, 23, and Lucy, 26.
Petty Officer Pete Holdgate: Commando photographer Pete Holdgate later became a local newspaper picture editor.
Marine Ray Houghton: THE veteran of Northern Ireland, Belize and Cyprus left the Marines in 1990. He and wife Serena have two children – nurse Nikki, 33, and policeman Karl, 31.
Corporal Pete Robinson: After the Falklands conflict Corporal Pete Robinson met Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. A bronze statue of him, named The Yomper, stands outside the Royal Marines museum in Portsmouth. He is now stud manager at a charity for Arab horses.
Marine Will Evans: THE dad of three framed the worn-out soles of the boots he yomped in on the epic Falklands march. After leaving the Marines in 1984, Will worked as a lorry driver before switching to advertising. He went on to become a geo-physical driller.
'Gone into a minefield'
“I sprinted out and off, straight up to my chest in ice-cold water.
“I made it to the beach in double quick time and took cover.
“A few hours after first light the first air raid hit us. Days of total chaos followed as wave after wave of Argentinian jets smashed us. I saw so many aircraft being shot down but they just kept coming.”
Four days after the landing, one of those attacks sank the RFA ship Atlantic Conveyor, which was carrying Chinook helicopters that would have transported the Marines across East Falkland. So, instead, they had to yomp.
Teamed up with 45 Commando, they became part of the plan to take the three high points around capital Stanley — Mount Longden, Mount Harriet and Two Sisters.
From San Carlos they were sent to Teal Inlet, where an Argentine attack had destroyed 45 Commando’s anti-tank missile launchers.
Yomp
What does 'Yomp' mean?
Origin unclear. Marines slang for a long distance march carrying full kit.
Possibly an acronym for your own marching pace.
Ray Houghton, 58, of South Shields, Tyne & Wear, says: “At first light the order came through to push on to Sapper Hill. On the way, we heard about the white flags in Stanley.
“We were in the middle of a minefield when it was confirmed so there wasn’t much celebrating.
“We made safe our weapons and someone got the flag out to tie to Pete’s radio mast.”
But Will’s flag, which was attached by black masking tape, later blew away.
Pete says: “Will scampered to get it and got a right telling off because he’d gone into a minefield.”
As the six Marines trudged towards Port Stanley, Petty Officer Pete Holdgate spotted them.
Pete, who later became a local newspaper picture editor, remembers: “There were mines were everywhere and men were stepping in each another’s footprints to stay safe.
“I followed him for nearly two hours before there was enough wind to unfurl the flag and get the shot. I never expected it to get the response it did.”
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John Davies, 62, has the photo on the wall at his home in Evesham, Worcs — next to his green beret.
He says: “We knew when we signed up we’d face dangers. We are not heroes — we’re the lucky ones. The heroes are those who didn’t come home.”
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