Royal Marine jumps on Taliban Grenade to save comrades

[The_One]

A true hero and hard as nails

Unfurtunately i don't think he will get the VC and will be awarded the GC instead

Croucher hurls himself onto Taliban grenade

One man’s heroism saved the lives of his patrol – and left him with nothing more than a bloody noseStephen Grey in Helmand
A Royal Marine in southern Afghanistan threw himself onto an exploding grenade to save the lives of his patrol.

Miraculously, Lance Corporal Matt Croucher, a marine reservist from Birmingham, survived the blast with little injury when his rucksack and body armour took the force of the blast. He is expected to receive one of the highest awards for gallantry.

The story of his courage emerged last week in interviews with marines occupying a forward operating base near Sangin in Helmand province. They are preparing to leave after serving for six months at the centre of some of the fiercest fighting in Afghanistan. The outpost, Forward Operating Base Inkerman, is better known to troops as "FOB Incoming".

Croucher's action occurred just before dawn on February 9, as the reconnaissance troop from 40 Commando, operating to the south of Sangin, was searching a compound it suspected was being used for making bombs to attack British and Afghan troops.

Walking in the darkness among a group of four men, Croucher stepped into a tripwire that pulled the pin from a boobytrap grenade. His patrol commander, Corporal Adam Lesley, remembered Croucher's shout of: "Grenade!"

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3646243.ece

 

[Tom0]

I dont believe that story for some reason. Seems almost propaganda in the sense of "anyone can be a hero".

Might just be me, I'm a cynical loser.

Bloody good on him if he did though.

 

[xen_]

He survived? Sounds like that grenade wasn't going to do much damage to his comrades either.

 

[The_One]

Cant believe peoples replies

He jumped on the grenade to save the life of his comrades, luckily his armour and daysack took the force of the blast and he survived

 

[Ben M]

He survived? Sounds like that grenade wasn't going to do much damage to his comrades either.

he was wearing body armour, so i can believe that it wouldn't kill him. And as for doing harm to the others if he hadn't jumped on it; if you were further away though pieces of the metal that the grenade was made from would be flying at you, rather than being stationary and then exploding under you, and they could also hit non-armoured parts (face and limbs?) so would probably do more damage. That's what I think at least, I don't know a lot about it.

 

[The_One]

I dont believe that story for some reason. Seems almost propaganda in the sense of "anyone can be a hero".

in the voice of al murray

SHAME ON YOU

SHAME ON YOU

 

[Stringy]

I dont believe that story for some reason. Seems almost propaganda in the sense of "anyone can be a hero".

As a member of the armed forces myself, and having my best mate (who's a RM) out there at the moment, I can fully believe the story. Some seriously messed up stuff going on out there.

 

[sarutobi]

He survived? Sounds like that grenade wasn't going to do much damage to his comrades either.

this guy jumped on a live grenade to save his comrades, the outcome is not to be judged but the actions before hand.

He's as brave as they come and should have everyones respect.

 

[Zogger]

wow that is weird. My name is Matt Crouch and the other day I posted in a thread about coincidences that someone in the office next door to me was called Matt Croucher. Then today this guy is in the news

 

[helpimcrap]

Respect.

the one thing with nowadays is that if it isn't true - it gets found out quick so on that basis he gets a thumbs up from me. shining example of our forces.

as for the grenade not doing much.... how are people to know that? it's the fact he was willing to lay his life down for his comrades and this quick thinking i'm bloody impressed with!

 

[Voltar]

/Salute. TBH jumping on any primed grenade to save your comrades is truly admirable and gallant.
Nice that he survived too imo.

 

[Azagoth]

He survived? Sounds like that grenade wasn't going to do much damage to his comrades either.

Are you really that dumb? This guy is a hero and fully deserves the respect of the entire Nation. I for one hope he does receive the VC, but no doubt politics will come into play and he'll be 'downgraded'!

 

[The_One]

A grenade going off in the vicinity of squaddies would have taken quite a few down (Dead)

You only need a tiny pice of shrapnel to severe an artery in a squaddies neck and its game over.

He undoubtadly saved the lives of his comrades and they will forever owe him one.


Victoria Cross is awarded in battle but im sure the people high up will argue he wasnt in battle and thats where the George cross come in so hopefully he gets that at least.


Two US marines did something similar in iraq a few years ago, one tried to limit the blow by placing his helmet on top of the grenade before jumping on it, unfurtunately they both lost their lives.

One has been awarded the medal of honour and the other has currently been recommended for it

 

[meghatronic]

and fully deserves the respect of the entire Nation.!

NEVER going to happen in modern Britain mate. No respect for troops at all that I see.

For shame. They fight so we don't have to.

 

[Booner!]

Who cares, the fact that he jumped on it in the first place is heroic! It could have been a claymore or incendiary grenade.... it takes balls to do what he did as he could have never seen light again.

I wish people would understand this before sitting in their armchair and putting people down for such heroic actions. I gather that said people have defused nukes with seconds left on the clock with blind folds on by the sounds of it.

 

[atpbx]

My old man once told me the most disappointing things ever is when you first throw a live grenade.
You grow up watching world war 2 films and the A-team where they go off with the explosive power of a thermo nuclear bomb, but when you actually throw one you get a bit of a bang, a bit of smoke and thats about it (its the shrapnel that does the damage).

No relevance to the story.

 

[Eriedor]

Mucho respect for him and the makers of clearly very robust body armour.

 

[Tom0]

OH NOES A DIFFERENCE IN OPINION.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone but I dont believe everything the media tells me, especially not war stories. I'm not saying that action doesnt deserve respect if it happened, I'm saying the story maybe false and I'm warey of its authenticity without a more reliable source than "The Times".

 

[Zefan]

I have no doubt that many of the guys out there would do the same for their comrades. I have the utmost respect for the service that the armed forces provide, makes me proud to be British.

:Edit: Having rad a very great deal about the Marines, I know that their camaraderie is something extremely special and do not even begin to question this news.

Mucho respect for him and the makers of clearly very robust body armour.

That's the thing, it's not that great. They tell troops that they know the armour most likely will not stop a bullet.

 

[Azagoth]

My old man once told me the most disappointing things ever is when you first throw a live grenade.
You grow up watching world war 2 films and the A-team where they go off with the explosive power of a thermo nuclear bomb, but when you actually throw one you get a bit of a bang, a bit of smoke and thats about it (its the shrapnel that does the damage).

In much the same way as plastic explosives in films always seem to explode in a huge fiery explosion, whereas in real life plastic explosives don't. There's a whoosh, a bang, some smoke and a tiny amount of flame.