Exclusive News: Mumbles the stuffed penguin meets relatives in the Falklands

Mumbles is careful to point out the dangers of life on tour. Mark has been in the army since 2004 and has been on numerous tours around the world
A solider and his girlfriend have found a unique way of remaining connected when he is on tour around the world.

Mark Thompson, 32, takes Mumbles the toy penguin, who was a gift from his girlfriend Meredith Craven, 26, from New York, wherever he goes in the course of his duty as a Major in the British army, snapping him in a variety of unusual and charming situations.
From the cockpit of a Typhoon jet plane to Hadrian's wall in the North of England right across to Kenya; Mumbles, is better travelled than most people, and has even met his real life contemporaries in the Falklands .

Mumbles with Major Mark Thomson helping him fly an Army jet plane, Mark sends the photos to girlfriend Meredith while he is away on duty

Mumbles is held by a Massai man in Kenya. The toy penguin is better traveled than most humans

Mumbles at Volunteer point in the Falklands by the beach with some fellow King Penguins

Mumbles, safely strapped in, riding on a helicopter with some UK soldiers

Mumbles makes friends with the air traffic control cat in the Falklands

Meredith, who brought Mumbles for Mark in Hamley's toy store, holds him during a hot air balloon ride

Mark, now a Major, joined the army in 2004, following the footsteps of his father, and has travelled the world for many years on tours of duty.
However his work meant being away from his girlfriend Meredith, sometimes for prolonged periods after the couple got together in 2008.
When she gave him a stuffed toy penguin one year named Mumbles, Mark came up with the heart-warming idea to help him and Meredith stay connected.
Meredith says: ‘I purchased Mumbles from Hamleys while on a trip to London and sent him to Mark in the Falklands.

Mumbles in the cockpit of a Typhoon jet plane, which is a one-man fighter plane with a top speed of 2,495kph

Mark introducing Mumbles to some King penguins while their chicks watch at Volunteer Point

Mumbles surveys the view from a watch tower, wearing his commander headset

Mumbles with the colony of Gentoo penguins at Bertha's Beach in the Falklands

Meredith carrying Mumbles under the Great Northern Angel in Tyne and Wear

Mumbles with the stop sign before the King penguin colony at Volunteer Point in the Falklands. There are stop signs around the area where the penguins give birth to keep people from disturbing them

Meredith and Mumbles cautiously pose with a warthog

Emerging from his box, after being shipped from London to the Falklands

Mark and Mumbles at Hadrian's Wall in North England

'Mumbles was actually intended to be bait for a killer whale, as Mark had yet to see one, and the season for spotting them was almost over.
‘Instead, Mark started sending photos of Mumbles from various islands within the Falklands.’
Now the humble toy has become a well-established institution within their relationship.
‘Mumbles has been a really sweet way for me to feel connected to Mark as he travels the world! In particular, some of the lengths he goes to, to snap the photos are pretty romantic.
‘I believe I have about 50-60 photos of Mumbles in various places: the Falklands, on a Yorkshire castle tour, in Philadelphia, and in Africa,’ Meredith says.