A mural depicting one of the most famous images in the history of the Royal Marines has been unveiled at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, Devon.
Known as ‘the Yomper’, the picture shows Corporal Peter Robinson heading towards Port Stanley with a Union Flag flying from his radio aerial.
It was taken by the then Petty Officer Pete Holdgate who deployed to the Falklands in 1982 as a photographer for 3 Commando Brigade.
It has since become an image symbolising the conflict and the Royal Marines’ indomitable fighting spirit.
It is hoped that the mural will inspire, encourage, and motivate current and future trainee Royal Marines during their basic training at Lympstone.
Special guest for the unveiling was Yomper Peter himself who was at Lympstone for the pass out parade of The Kings Squad, 374B Recruit Troop, where his nephew Marine Ryley Jones was presented with his coveted Green Beret in the presence of families and the guest of honour, Lieutenant General Charlie Stickland RM.
Painted by ex-Royal Marine David ‘Griff’ Griffin, the spectacular mural on the outside wall of the Falklands Hall at Commando’s training base, has transformed a blank space.
Griff said: “We are asked to look at something for the camp a bit with some imagery that would be inspirational and relevant to the next generation of Royal Marines, showing past successes and contemporary themes to the recruits.
“We had the idea to do something Falklands related, with the name of the building and came up with the idea of using the iconic Yomper image. The photo itself is quite grey with the landscape and skyscape of the Falklands, so we decided to base the mural on the statue, which sits down in Portsmouth and has a better vista and a striking image as well.
“I’ve had a 100 per cent positive reception and feedback at Lympstone, it’s been well received and meeting Peter Robinson, the Yomper has been an enormous pleasure, you don’t get to meet the subject which the mural is based on very often.
“Another mural we’re doing is of a Mountain Leader climbing up a frozen waterfall on the side of a five-story building on the base. It’s a challenge completing something so big, but it will have an amazing effect because it’s current and relevant to those in the Corps now, every detail is contemporary and up to date with today’s Royal Marines.”
Before the parade Peter met up with Griff and looked over the mural for the first time.
“Griff has done a great job and it’s of my front for a change, instead the back of my head, it’s spectacular, there was nothing like this at CTCRM in my time,” said Peter.
“I think anything this large and imposing has a wow factor, just like the statue in Portsmouth, its impressive and positioned where most people on camp will see it every day, reminding them of one of the Royal Marines’ proudest moments.
“My nephew is passing out today, he’s the first of the family since me to join the Royal Marines, and I’m really pleased and very proud of him, it’s his big day.
“The picture was taken as we came down from Two Sisters, moving to positions on Wireless Ridge, to cover the assault into Stanley. We’d just heard that the Argentinians had surrendered. One of my men had a Union Flag and we just stuck it onto my radio arial with black masking tape. Pete Holdgate the Naval Photographer saw us and took the picture, we were just looking to keep warm and stay dry.
“I always sum up the picture as I’m pleased it’s the back of me, as I’ve always felt it represents everyone, not just me, the Royal Marines, the Paras, the Blues and Royals, all the other regiments and not to forget the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy as well as the civilians and the dockyard workers, I was just a very small cog in a very big wheel.”
Crown Copyright
