Matt Croucher: hero

Lance Corporal Matt Croucher, 40 Commando, could be in line for a VC after he saved the lives of his comrades by throwing himself onto an exploding booby-trap grenade in Afghanistan. Not only did L/Cpl Croucher cover the grenade with his body, he was also quick-thinking enough to lay backwards so that his backpack blunted the explosion. His own life was saved by the special plating inside his Osprey body armour.

He is quoted as saying: “I knew a grenade like this has 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"

L/Cpl Croucher's comrades have made a citation to their commanding officer and officers were now considering whether to put his name forward to receive a Victoria Cross. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said: “We’re months away from a decision. But clearly this guy is very brave. And very, very lucky.”

What a hero!

Link> The Telegraph: Heroic marine throws himself on grenade
Link> BBC: Marine threw himself onto grenade
Link> The Times: L/Cpl Matt Croucher threw himself over grenade to save comrades
Link> Leatherneck.com: Lance Corporal Matt Croucher hurls himself onto Taliban grenade
Link> News of the World: Marine up for VC after diving on a grenade

Link> RN: Birmingham Reservists Head Out To Afghanistan