Yomp
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Yomp is Royal Marines slang describing a long distance march carrying full kit.
The most famous yomp of recent times was during the 1982 Falklands War. After disembarking from ships at San Carlos on East Falkland, on 21 May 1982, Royal Marines and members of the Parachute Regiment yomped (and tabbed) with their equipment across the islands, covering 56 miles (90 km)[1] in three days carrying 80 pounds (36 kg)[2] loads.
Media coverage of this war saw the term yomp become well known and in general use. A computer game called Yomp was produced by Virgin Games shortly after the Falklands conflict. However, the term has since faded somewhat from general use in the decades since the end of the Falklands war.
British Army slang for the same thing is tab. The term tab has its roots in an acronym, being an abbreviation of Tactical Advance to Battle.
It has been suggested that the term YOMP is an acronym for Your Own Marching Pace[1].
[edit] References
- ^ Chapter 21 The Bridgehead and Beyond: "There were two considerations. First, the distance between Stanley and San Carlos was some 56 miles and given the problems posed by the terrain it would take at least eight days to cover the ground. Movement would be 'under constant enemy fire from the air, in an area without cover, wood, drinking water or means of subsistence'. When his men arrived, worn out by the long trek, they would have to go into immediate action against an enemy well prepared and supported by field artillery." - Lawrence Freedman, Signals of War, The Falklands Conflict of 1982, 1990, Faber and Faber-London, ISBN 0-571-14116-1
- ^ Modern Land Combat, 1987, editor Bernard Fitzsimons, Salamander Books Ltd., ISBN 1-85501-165-4
