‘I could have died of old age holding this place’

Pour one out for Royal Marine Maj. Gen. Andrew Francis Whitehead, DSO, who well-earned the latter at the head of 45 RM Commando during the Falklands. While the other seven battalion-sized units of the British 3 Commando and 5 Guards brigades that went ashore in East Falkland during Operation Corporate to liberate the colony in 1982 got to largely leapfrog across the island via the task force’s sole CH-47 Chinook and its Sir-class landing craft from San Carlos Water to Port Stanley during the 25-day land campaign, 45 Commando did it the old-fashioned way. They walked. Or, more appropriately, yomped. A column of 45 Royal Marine Commandos yomp towards Port Stanley. Royal Marine Peter Robinson, carrying the Union Jack flag on his backpack as identification, brings up the rear. This photograph, taken in black and white and color, became one of the iconic images of the Falklands Conflict. IWM FKD 2028 Moving 56 miles in three days from their beach landing at San Carlos harbor to engage the…