What's new

The photograph of the Falklands war which went global

waz

ADMINISTRATOR
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
21,159
Reaction score
91
Country
Pakistan
Location
United Kingdom
Forty years ago Peter Robinson, a corporal with the Royal Marines, was photographed carrying the Union Jack aloft as he marched towards Stanley in the final hours of the Falklands War.

It was June 14, 1982, and that photograph, known as The Yomper, came to symbolise the fighting spirit and determination the British soldiers displayed during the conflict.
"The rumour came round that there were white flags flying in Stanley and the Argentinians had surrendered," Mr Robinson told BBC Wiltshire.
"The marine in front of me had a union flag so we found some black masking tape and stuck it on my aerial and just carried on our way."

'Front page'​

Naval photographer Pete Holdgate happened to be in the long line of men behind Robinson; eager to capture an image for the magazine of the Royal Marines, Globe and Laurel.
He had just a few seconds to take the picture as the flag billowed in a gust of wind.
Peter Robinson today

"I think I've been fortunate in the fact that I can just probably put things in the back of my mind and just get on with life"
Mr Robinson, who lives in Purton near Swindon, said: "Pete shouted to me and said, 'Watch out, that's going to be on the front page.'
"From then on, it just went global and became the image of the Falklands. I'm very proud to be in it.
"I'm glad in a sense that it was my back," he continued, "because it represents everyone that was involved in the conflict.
"It's not just centred on one individual."

Peter Robinson

Corporal Peter Robinson was in charge of two Milan anti-tank missiles targeting Argentinian machine gun positions.
Mr Robinson, a former corporal with the elite commando force, was in charge of two relatively new Milan anti-tank missiles during the Battle of Two Sisters on the night of 11 June.
"I was given permission to open fire and a missile did actually take out the Argentinian machine gun position.
"The guys on the ground had never seen this system before, because it was so new.
"A voice came over the radio saying, 'I don't know what that was, but could we have another one please?' So there's always humour in the face of adversity."

Cold day​

The conflict resulted from the long-standing dispute with Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, which lie in the Atlantic to the east of Argentina.

The British government dispatched a naval task force to retake the islands by amphibious assault when Argentine forces invaded on 2 April.
The soldiers had to endure the extreme conditions of a South Atlantic winter. There was snow on the ground as they made their way to Stanley to celebrate the end of the campaign.
"It was a cold day that day. My hands are clenched together trying to keep my fingers warm," Mr Robinson said.
Peter Robinson beside the statue of the Yomper

The photograph of Peter Robinson inspired a 15ft (4.5m) statue which was unveiled on the 10th anniversary of the conflict
"I remember the only way we could dry any of our kit was around our waist so my waist was basically a washing line with all my socks on to get them dry."
The flag in the photograph has sadly been lost, but the famous picture which became known as The Yomper inspired a three-tonne (472st) statue.
In 1992 Robinson was invited to Portsmouth with Margaret Thatcher for the unveiling at the Royal Marines Museum at Eastney.
"She said, 'These people haven't only come to see me, but they've come to see you as well," Mr Robinson said.
Peter Robinson and Margaret Thatcher

Peter Robinson met Margaret Thatcher at the unveiling of the Yomper statue in Portsmouth in 1992
"I don't like being turned into a hero. A lot more guys out there did a lot more than what I did. It was just the fact that my photograph became the image.
"A lot of Royal Marines remember this photograph. Some of the younger guys come up to me and say, 'you're the reason I joined.'
"I always apologise profusely."

Many soldiers who served in the Falklands conflict have suffered from PTSD. Some veterans have even taken their own lives as cases have gone undiagnosed for years.


Mr Robinson said he feels fortunate to have been able to put his experiences behind him.
"I was 24-years-old at the time. Somewhere in the back of my mind those memories are still there, but I've built a brick wall and keep them to the back and get on with life."






What a photo.

1649335291989.png
 
. .
Along with Kosovo, this was one of the few righteous wars that the UK has been involved in since the 2nd world war.

100% and also the intervention in Bosnia.
I've met and worked with so many ex-forces from that era and they were all such nice and good men.
Pity after that they sent the forces into wars that were not popular at home and none of our business.
 
.
100% and also the intervention in Bosnia.
I've met and worked with so many ex-forces from that era and they were all such nice and good men.
Pity after that they sent the forces into wars that were not popular at home and none of our business.



Well the German soldiers in WW2 were all lining up to surrender to the British, ahead of the US and Canadians.

Blair really tarnished the reputation of the UK military with his stupid war in Iraq.
 
.
Well the German soldiers in WW2 were all lining up to surrender to the British, ahead of the US and Canadians.

Blair really tarnished the reputation of the UK military with his stupid war in Iraq.

Yes a fact of history that our German friends forget....
Yeh Blair the biggest filth that lived in recent memory. Nearly destroyed the nation.
 
.
Along with Kosovo, this was one of the few righteous wars that the UK has been involved in since the 2nd world war.

How was it a righteous war? Falklands are a colonial possession, Argentina should have control of it.
 
. .
Your arguments would have been valid had present day Argentinians been natives of the land and not mostly descendant of European Conquistadors

Yes, that's true. They themselves are settlers.
 
. .
Its just another occupied territory.



How so?

Before the Europeans arrived in South America, it had no indigenous population.

In a fair fight, the UK won and they have settled the Islands for 200 years now and the current population are the native inhabitants to the land.

I am of course against colonialism but the UK is right here and Argentina wrong.
 
. . .
Back
Top Bottom