OT Royal Marine awarded The George Cross

[gamekeeper]

Thought I'd post this as it may not have made the US papers.

By Sky News SkyNews - Wednesday, July 23 03:23 pm

A Royal Marine who threw himself onto an exploding grenade in Afghanistan to save the lives of his comrades is to be awarded the George Cross.


Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher will become one of just a handful of living recipients of the honour.

It ranks alongside the Victoria Cross as the highest decoration for bravery.

The 24-year-old from Birmingham was on a mission to uncover a suspected Taliban bomb-making factory in Helmand Province in February, when he stepped on a trip-wire and triggered the device.

"I thought, I've set the bloody thing off and I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect the others," he said.

"I figured that if I could keep my head and torso intact I'd probably survive any other injuries - although I fully expected to lose a limb."

He threw himself on the floor and twisted his back so his rucksack took the full force of the blast.

His three colleagues suffered cuts and bruises while Lance Corporal Croucher was thrown in the air - he ended up with a severe nosebleed.

Despite the incident, he demanded to stay and fight the Taliban, and later that same day shot dead an insurgent in a gunfight.

"I'm very tight with the three other guys. There have been a few times when they've saved my bacon," he said.

"I knew a grenade like this had a killing circumference of about five metres.

"So I got down with my back to the grenade and used my body as a shield. It was a case of either having four of us as fatalities or badly wounded, or one."

He said it took him 30 seconds after the blast to realise he was still alive.

[FWiedner]

Holy cow!

Good on him. Especially glad to hear that he survived intact.

Present Arms!

[Tycer]

Well done sir.

[kimwcook]

I bet you can hear him coming 100 yds. away with the size of those juevones. Clearly a man to look up to. Bloody good job, chap.

[Ysabel Kid]

Bravery and brains - that young man will go far in life! Hopefully he becomes a hero to young Brits - because he certainly deserves to be. Heck, he deserves to be a hero to young men around the world - anyone who values bravery, honor, duty, friendship, dedication, patriotism, intelligence, freedom, character... the list goes on and on!!!

Thanks for posting GK!!!

[Noah Zark]

Semper Fi, LCpl Croucher!

From one Marine to another.

Noah

[rjohns94]

Thanks for sharing that story of a true hero. Blessings to him. Hand Salute!!

[Old Ironsights]

"I don't want to go on the cart... I'm Not Dead Yet!... "

Severe nosebleed...

Good thing he was wearing full kit and could buffer the shot.

I've got to go reexamine my ruck & see if it has a place for kevlar panels...

[Griff]

Teammates are all that sometimes separate us from the dark void. Holy rucksack, Batman! Good on him! Clearly a hero.

[C. Cash]

Teammates are all that sometimes separate us from the dark void. Holy rucksack, Batman! Good on him! Clearly a hero.

+1. Thanks for sharing Game Keeper and a big THANK YOU to Cpl. Croucher and these men!

[JReed]

Semper Fi, LCpl Croucher!

From one Marine to another.

Noah

+1

OOHRAH !

Thanks for posting GK we never seem to hear about our brothers in arms and the great things they do in our media.

[Nath]

Yeah I listened to him on the radio today. Go to bbc web and find radio2 listen again to the Jeremy Vine show 12noon to 2pm if you want
Nath.

[Borregos]

Thanks for posting, a real hero!!

[eric65]

Semper Fi, LCpl Croucher!

From one Marine to another.

Noah

+1 USMC 1985-1993

[John in MS]

Outstanding!! I'm mighty impressed both with L/Cpl Croucher's valor and his cool thinking in such a crisis!! I'm sure glad he lived, and with such few injuries!

Thanks for posting -- naturally, our liberal mainstream media actively avoids covering anything POSITIVE about our fighting men OR our brave allies... Doesn't fit their agenda, don'tcha know.

I have long appreciated the Brits as being among our very strongest, most reliable allies and cousins from "way back."

All the best, and thanks to all the brave men and women serving in the
war on Islamo-Fascist terror.
John

[mklwhite]

Well deserved. I bet he didn't have to buy the next round at the pub!

[Bruce Scott]

An extremely well deserved award, but why not the VC?

Edit: A bit of digging turned this up:

Matt was recommended by his commander for a Victoria Cross. Because his heroics happened away from the face of the enemy it was decided to give him the GC for extreme courage committed out of combat.

The George Cross was instituted by Royal Warrant on the 24 September 1940.
King George VI had been greatly moved by the fortitude and courage displayed by many civilians and by those engaged in bomb and mine disposal duties during the Blitz, and wanted these outstanding acts of bravery to be suitably recognised. Several awards already existed for which civilians were eligible and which could also be given to servicemen and women for acts of great heroism performed in circumstances other than battle. These awards included the Empire Gallantry Medal, the Albert Medal for Saving Life on Land and at Sea and the Edward Medal for Mines and Industry, but none matched the distinction of the Victoria Cross. The King, with his advisors, decided to create a new decoration which would be equivalent in status with the VC.

[pharmseller]

Hoo doggies!
What would have happened in 1776 if all the British we faced were as tough as he is?
We'd all be playing soccer!


Quinn

[Ysabel Kid]

Hoo doggies!
What would have happened in 1776 if all the British we faced were as tough as he is?
We'd all be playing soccer!


Quinn

And we'd have to call it "football"!