MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands yomp recreated by royal marines from HMS Protector
A team of five Royal Marines from ice patrol ship HMS Protector yomped in full kit in the Falkland Islands from San Carlos to the Islands’ capital Stanley, following the exact route of 45 Commando in 1982, thirty two years ago. Read full article
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Mar 26th, 2014 - 01:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0I've never heard the word 'yomp' before. Interesting. I wonder if it used by the ADF at all?
Mar 26th, 2014 - 02:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0Ask Nostrils if it is one that he has memorised?
Mar 26th, 2014 - 02:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0Wish I'd been there to see them.
Mar 26th, 2014 - 04:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0I'd be having more than a celebratory pint if I had done that.
Mar 26th, 2014 - 05:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0@2 Anglotino
Mar 26th, 2014 - 07:06 am - Link - Report abuse 0Only Royal Marines 'Yomp', the British Army 'TAB', which means Tactical Advance to Battle.
I don't know if 'yomp' has a specific meaning in the RM world, but they are both basically the same thing, and generally used in terrain that is difficult to get vehicles over. In other words, you Yomp/TAB carrying all your kit (which can be more than 80kg with ammo), and a very fast pace towards where the enemy are.
Then you fight the enemy afterwards. Which is exactly what the RM, Para's and other British Army units did back in 1982.
It's a testament to just how fit, well trained and motivated you have to be, to walk miles upon miles, practically carrying your own body weight in kit, and then fight a battle at the end of it.
I doubt the ADF could even approach that level of fitness and dedication.
6 LEPRecon
Mar 26th, 2014 - 08:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0And the war planners in the Pentagon said it could not be done!!!! To pull that off, in that kind weather, that far from home.
Respect, guys!!!
It's these kind of actions that show everyone that the British armed forces the best in the world.
I bet those troops that did that were “more than fit”!!!
Tabing or yomping basically means pain.
Mar 26th, 2014 - 10:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0Going up tumbledown with full kit was highly emotional in daylight let alone at night With people shooting at you
… .And….. Britain's biggest warship… http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/defence/10723164/Britains-largest-warship-nears-completion.html
Mar 26th, 2014 - 10:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0@7 A “yomp” (Your Own Marching Pace?) is a solely Royal Marine slang expression. Not too bad for an infantry unit that's basic purpose is to fight aboard ship or in amphibious operations. Then there's “TAB” (Tactical Advance to Battle?), the British Army equivalent. In 1982, members of the Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment yomped, and tabbed, across 56 miles carrying 80 pound loads, in 3 days. Troops on that march said that, if they fell over, they had to wait for comrades to help them up as they could not get up unaided with their loads.
Mar 26th, 2014 - 11:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0These were, and are, MEN. (With due aplogies to the ladies). That's carrying half a man each.
“Respect” is nowhere near enough. To do it for 3 days? “Incredulity”? No, because they did it. The only word that I can think of is “AWE”. To do that and then fight a battle! And win! This why they will always be the best of the best. SAS, SBS, Royal Marines, Parachute Regiment. And others. No-one should doubt the abilities of every unit of the British armed forces. ALL are notable for going into action against overwhelming odds and winning.
From the Hundred Years' War to the present day, England wins. Because its service personnel are the best in the world. The archers of Edward III and the Black Prince (Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt), the Duke of Marlborough (crushing the Scots), the muskets and rifles of the Duke of Wellington (defeating Napoleon), Winston Churchill, Bernard Montgomery and others (crushing Mussolini and Hitler).
British forces are typically low-key. We've all seen the movies devoted to the American airborne and marine forces. And they are quite good. But, for Britain, deeds speak louder than words or movies. And the deeds of Britain's forces, by land, by sea, by air, SHOUT!
;)
Mar 26th, 2014 - 12:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0And if stupid Cameron gets his own way, god knows what will happen,
Mar 26th, 2014 - 01:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0it come to something when the best of the best, gets less support from our government ,
Respect has to be earned, not awarded,
the difference then between us and most of the rest.
Don't want to upset people's images and dreams about Tradition and all that concerning the Royal Marines, but I have to say, somewhat reluctantly, and also in the face of the OED definition, that “Yomping” was word we sometimes used in the RN- in the 1950's60's for eating your food fast...to “yomp” therefore meant getting through things doggedly or quickly.
Mar 26th, 2014 - 02:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Truth will out.
B for Brave , B for Best and B for British , Forever Falklands , Forever British !
Mar 26th, 2014 - 04:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@6
Mar 26th, 2014 - 07:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“I doubt the ADF could even approach that level of fitness and dedication.”
Well you will see an improvement after Zylberg showed the way for the Arg forces doing step ups (with no weight) on memorial steps.
Look all over Argentina and you will see their troops now practising on 'Malvinas' memorials (pretending they are in the Falklands using photoshopping-well it worked with the British sub didn't it). However due to the mysterious amnesia involved when Argentina forgetting anything they have not done well in , they have not worked out that Zylberg not only failed to get a medal-he didn't turn up to the Olympics either.
It will dawn on them in another 30 years............
Are people aware that ADF stands for Australian Defence Force and not for the Fuerzas Armadas de la República Argentina?
Mar 27th, 2014 - 12:39 am - Link - Report abuse 016 Anglotino
Mar 27th, 2014 - 08:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0So that would make it the FADLRA then?
Does quite roll off the tongue as well as ADF, does it??
Yes but FADLRA sounds like failure.
Mar 27th, 2014 - 10:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0So it works.
18 Anglotino
Mar 27th, 2014 - 08:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0aaahhh, I see now......
....but ADF could stand for something like:- All Dem F**kwitts
whereas, it would be hard to fit FADLRA into a cool sounding acronym wouldn't it?
I have no doubt that the superior elements of the ADF could match the Royal Marine's efforts; I've seen them in action first hand. I also realise that the allegations that they couldn't were based on a misunderstanding around their identity.
Mar 27th, 2014 - 11:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Total respect for the Royal Marines though.
Oh no doubt. My bad as the ADF is really only known in Oz as an acronym.
Mar 28th, 2014 - 01:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0There'd be few soldiers that diggers would trust with their backs and I know that it includes UK soldiers. I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual.
21 Anglotino
Mar 28th, 2014 - 10:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It is!!! Where would we be without the ANZAC's??
They are trusted friends and Allies who have fought alongside UK forces, ALWAYS with honour and distinction.
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