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Formaer Marines Yomp for Charities
Added: (Tue May 13 2003)
YOMP 30 MILES IN 12 HOURS, WHY?
It’s for charity and because ‘IT’S A MARINE THING!’
It was a word that came to symbolise the efforts of the gallant men who won back the Falklands in 1982. YOMP, a word the Royal Marines adopted many years ago as slang for a ‘Force march with a full kit’. The 30 miler is the final test for Royal Marines, over Dartmoor with full kit, to earn the right to wear the Coverted Green Beret of the Commando’s.
On the 17th of May a group made up of Retired Royal Marines (or so they have been told anyway), many who did the 30 miler Over Forty Years Ago, along with RM’s who have just returned from Iraq and along with their wives, who were made famous by GMTV and the SUN Newspaper, will once again undertake this gruelling and demanding challenge.
The Royal Marines training is what many consider to be the most demanding of any Armed Force in the World. The award of the Green Beret is what all work towards. The training culminates with the final test a Force March with full kit and weapons over what many say is one of the most inhospitable places in the UK, Dartmoor. They not only have to complete the 30 miler but have to navigate and complete it in less than ten hours for Recruits and eight hours for Officers.
The team of around 35 who are setting out to complete the course on the 17th will not be carrying the full load nor will the time be ten hours, though a time constraint has been set of twelve hours. Many of those taking part are Veterans of conflicts and wars, including the Falklands and Gulf. The aim to raise as much money as possible for the two chosen charities, the ‘Falklands Veterans Foundation (FVF)’ and the ‘Soldiers Sailors Air Force Association (SSAFA)’. This has seen many generous donations including one from a former Colonel RM of £1,000, and with many taking part raising hundreds each, this will see thousands of pounds shared by these two worthwhile charities.
Many taking part suffer as a result of their service with injuries and many from PTSD as a result of the areas of conflict they served in. In some cases this will be a major step to undertake such a bold venture. The support from the Area command for the MOD has been fantastic, and with a real taste of the South West being provided by ‘Ginsters’ many are turning up just for the pasties. As one 69 year old veteran said ‘I just can’t wait it will be a great get together.’ I think he has forgotten how it is and how bad Dartmoor can be but one thing is sure he will complete the course, YOMP ITS WHAT MARINES DO!
A QUICK YOMP OF 30 MILES OVER DARTMOOR, BY FORMER ROYAL MARINES, SERVING MARINES, WHO ARE JUST BACK FROM IRAQ AND THE VERY SPECIAL WIVES OF 40 COMMANDO, WHO WERE MADE FAMOUS BY GMTV AND THE SUN NEWSPAPER.