Royal Marine who dived on
a grenade to receive the Nation's highest bravery award
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
News Release (173/2008) issued by The Government News Network on 23
July 2008
A Royal Marine
Reservist who dived on a live grenade to save his comrades in
Afghanistan is to be honoured with the nation's highest
gallantry award, it was announced today.
At a ceremony in London, Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief
Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup confirmed that Lance Corporal Matthew
Croucher, aged 24, from Birmingham, is to receive the George Cross
in recognition of his extraordinary bravery. Amazingly, he
survived virtually unscathed when his body armour and a rucksack
on his back absorbed most of the explosion.
The George Cross ranks with the Victoria Cross as the
nation's highest award for gallantry. It is awarded "for
acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in
circumstances of extreme danger."
Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup
said: "Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher showed extraordinary
bravery, self-sacrifice and devotion to duty. He acted to save his
comrades in the almost certain knowledge that he would not himself
survive. His exemplary behaviour and supreme heroism are fully
deserving of the nation's highest recognition." First
Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band said: "The Royal Marines
continue to conduct themselves with exemplary professionalism and
bravery in Afghanistan. The extra-ordinary action by Lance
Corporal Matthew Croucher epitomises the ethos of selfless
devotion to duty, courage and comradeship that prevails within the
Royal Marines. This was an exceptional act of outstanding bravery
that undoubtedly saved the lives of Lance Corporal Croucher's
fellow marines."
L/Cpl Croucher, who is the first reservist to receive either a
Victoria Cross or George Cross since current operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan began, was deployed to Afghanistan attached to
Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines in the autumn 2007.
The unit's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart
Birrell, said: "The award of the George Cross is a fantastic
achievement for L/Cpl Matthew Croucher who demonstrated quite
exceptional courage and selflessness to protect his comrades. The
40 Commando deployment was a challenging and difficult operation
which brought out the very best in all the men and women within
the battlegroup; nowhere was this more apparent than in the
actions of Matthew Croucher who accepted great personal risk to
save his fellow marines. This was a magnificent act which
absolutely typified the highest traditions of commando service."
On 9 February 2008, he was serving with the Commando
Reconnaissance Force, based out of Forward Operating Base
Robinson. The force was tasked to conduct reconnaissance of a
compound in which it was suspected that Taliban fighters
manufactured Improvised Explosive Devices.
Under constant threat of attack from Improved Explosive Devices
or enemy ambush, they successfully negotiated the complex and
varied terrain between the Forward Operating Base and the suspect compound.
After successfully entering the compound and discovering various
pieces of equipment used in the production of IEDs, L/Cpl Croucher
was at the head of the group as they commenced the extraction. As
the team moved silently through the still darkened compound, L/Cpl
Croucher felt a wire go tight against his legs. This was a
trip-wire connected to a grenade booby-trap, positioned to kill or
maim intruders in the compound. He heard the fly-off lever eject
and the grenade, now armed, fell onto the ground immediately
beside him.
Instantly realising what had occurred, L/Cpl Croucher made a
crucial and incredibly rapid assessment of the situation. With
extraordinary clarity of thought and remarkable composure, he
shouted 'Grenade', then 'Tripwire' in an
attempt to warn his comrades to find cover before the grenade
exploded. It was clear to him that given the lack of cover in the
immediate vicinity, he and the other team members were in extreme
danger. Due to low light levels, he was unable to determine the
type of grenade and therefore had no way of knowing how long the
device's fuse would take to function. With his comrades
totally exposed and time running out, L/Cpl Croucher made the
decision not to seek cover or protection for himself, but to
attempt to shield the other members of his team from the impending explosion.
In an act of great courage, and demonstrating a complete
disregard for his own safety, he threw himself on top of the
grenade, pinning it between his day sack, containing his essential
team stores, and the ground. Quite prepared to make the ultimate
sacrifice for his fellow marines, L/Cpl Croucher lay on the
grenade and braced himself for the explosion. Meanwhile, the Team
Commander, upon hearing the initial shouted warning, dived to the
ground. The rear man in the team was able to take cover by
stepping back around the corner of a building; the other team
member was unable to react quickly enough and was still upright,
fully exposed within the lethal range of the grenade.
As it detonated, the blast effect of the grenade was absorbed by
L/Cpl Croucher and the majority of the fragmentation was contained
under his body. Miraculously, his equipment and protective
clothing prevented any lethal shards hitting his body and he
suffered only minor injury and disorientation from the effects of
the blast. L/Cpl Croucher's day sack was ripped from his back
and was completely destroyed; his body armour and helmet were
pitted by grenade fragments. A large battery being carried in the
side pouch of his day sack, for his team's Electronic Counter
Measures equipment, also exploded and was burning like a flare as
a result of the grenade fragments breaching the outer case.
Incredibly, the only other injury was a slight fragmentation wound
to the Team Commander's face. The others escaped unscathed.
Without question, L/Cpl Croucher's courageous and utterly
selfless action had prevented death or serious injury to at least
two members of his team. Immediately following the explosion they
manoeuvred tactically back to their rendezvous location. After
confirming with the Troop Commander that no significant casualties
had been sustained, the decision was made to interdict enemy
forces attempting to conduct a follow-up to the incident. As
anticipated, enemy activity was observed by Commando
Reconnaissance Force and L/Cpl Croucher, having refused to be
evacuated, along with other members of his team, engaged and
neutralized one enemy fighter.
Notes to editors:
1. The George Cross ranks with the Victoria Cross as the
nation's highest award for gallantry and was instituted in
1940 to recognise actions of supreme gallantry in circumstances
for which the Victoria Cross was not appropriate. Thus, it may be
awarded to civilians, as well as members of the Armed Forces for
acts of gallantry not in the presence of the enemy, including, for
example, military explosive ordnance disposal personnel. It was
also famously awarded to the Island of Malta for its collective
gallantry during the Second World War and more recently to the
Royal Ulster Constabulary. It is awarded "for acts of the
greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in
circumstances of extreme danger."
2. L/Cpl Croucher is the first reservist to receive either a VC
or GC since operations in Iraq and Afghanistan started. He served
with the regular Royal Marines between November 2000 and September
2005. He has served as a reservist ever since. In addition to his
tour in Helmand, he has also completed three operational tours of
Iraq. Outside his role as a reservist he is a director of security
company Pinnacle Risk Management.