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Marine jumps on grenade to save his comrades...
BBC ^ | BBC

Posted on 03/30/2008 5:25:35 PM PDT by thundrey

A Royal Marine who threw himself onto an exploding grenade to save the lives of his patrol has been put forward for the UK's highest military honour.

Lance Corporal Matt Croucher, 24, a reservist from Birmingham, survived because his rucksack and body armour took the force of the blast.

He was part of a reconnaissance troop in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in February, when the incident happened.

The Ministry of Defence said he could be considered for the Victoria Cross.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; british; hero; marine; royalmarines; uk; uktroops; vc; victoriacross
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To: LSUfan
HMS Fearless

They sure do know how to name their ships.

21 posted on 03/30/2008 5:55:46 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Who Would Montgomery Brewster Choose?)
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To: Michael Barnes
Well said! However you now owe me a new keyboard for causing me to laugh so hard I snorted my tea thru my nose and over the KB. 'Tis ruined I fear.
22 posted on 03/30/2008 5:56:20 PM PDT by ExSoldier (Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.)
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To: thundrey

God bless him


23 posted on 03/30/2008 5:57:18 PM PDT by RDTF (my worst nightmare is being on jury duty sequestered with 11 liberals)
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To: LucyJo

It’s almost impossible to win the VC without dying. Only 1 person, Johnson Berray, has managed to win it in the last 40 years without being killed in the process...


24 posted on 03/30/2008 5:59:16 PM PDT by thundrey
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To: RDTF

Keep this going. - Brave Man. Brave Man. Brave Man . . .


25 posted on 03/30/2008 6:01:19 PM PDT by Twinkie (TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT !!!)
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To: LucyJo
As a retired officer in Her Majesty's service (in my case, the Royal Australian Navy) who therefore had to be aware of the criteria for awarding various decorations, allow me to answer your question.

The Victoria Cross is awarded for: most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.

It's an incredibly high standard.

And while there is no doubt that this man is a hero, personally I can see why it would take a while to decide whether or not his heroism deserves the Victoria Cross.

To be frank, I believe his heroism, as described, is more deserving of the CGC - the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross - than the Victoria Cross. The CGC is the second highest award for courage in the face of the enemy - and those who receive it are also genuine heroes (as are those who receive the Miltary Cross, or a Mention In Dispatches - the third and fourth highest awards for courage (the MID can also be awarded for other exceptional acts, not necessarily related to heroic behaviour).

Yes, he is a hero - but not all heroes get the VC. Acting as if it is the only suitable award for heroic behaviour denigrates the achievements of those who have received other honours for their heroism.

26 posted on 03/30/2008 6:02:57 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: thundrey; The Invisible Hand; All
Google Marine Sargent Peralta, for the story of this hero's spiritual comrade whom you likely did not hear about from the main stream media.
27 posted on 03/30/2008 6:03:42 PM PDT by Radix (How come they call people "Morons" when they do not know as much? Shouldn't they be called "Lessons?)
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To: thundrey

Two, in fact. Corporal Bill Apiata of the New Zealand Special Air Service is also a living recipient for his actions in Afghanistan in 2004.


28 posted on 03/30/2008 6:05:31 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: thundrey

Didn’t know that. Seems this man came as close to dying as most would want to come. However, if it’s dying that wins the honor, I’d imagine his loved ones would just as soon he missed out on this one.

I’m going to google Johnson Berray. Thanks.


29 posted on 03/30/2008 6:06:12 PM PDT by LucyJo
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To: Radix

Talk about vu ja de... I mentioned Sgt. Peralta earlier today....


30 posted on 03/30/2008 6:08:56 PM PDT by Maigrey (Fat makes the World Taste Better! - personal motto)
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To: jazusamo; freema; Chgogal

bttt


31 posted on 03/30/2008 6:12:23 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: naturalman1975

Thank you for the explanation. I should have informed myself about the Victoria Cross. I have the highest regard for all those who fight for the cause of freedom. I meant no disrespect, and would never intentionally denigrate the honors received for heroism.

God bless.


32 posted on 03/30/2008 6:14:28 PM PDT by LucyJo
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To: thundrey

The young Lance Corporal frantically scanned the ground through his night vision goggles. And there it lay. He and his three comrades had SEVEN SECONDS to live...

What brave Matt did next could make him the first Royal Marine since 1945 to win a VICTORIA CROSS.

In an astonishing act of self sacrifice he FLUNG himself at the grenade, FLIPPED on his side next to it and lay there with only his backpack for protection as he prepared to SAVE his pals by SMOTHERING the blast with his body.

Matt, 24, recalled: “I thought, ‘I’ve set this bloody thing off and I’m going to do whatever it takes to protect the others’.
http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/672198221/m/2430058671001


33 posted on 03/30/2008 6:14:52 PM PDT by Dubya (Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
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To: thundrey

Incredible. This man is very lucky to be alive.


34 posted on 03/30/2008 6:16:40 PM PDT by grimalkin (For everyone but America the free world is mostly a free ride. -Mark Steyn)
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To: thundrey
Related to Beharry, there is an incident with the BBC which makes my blood boil. A 1.5 hour special on his actions was developed, but the BBC refused to finish and air it because there was not enough they could do to spin the story in a negative way (Johnson still wants to go back to Iraq, all members of his unit had nothing negative to add, etc). Seriously - the BBC was afraid that the story of heroism was far too positive, and that viewers opposed to the Iraq war would have been upset.

I don't care what their politics are with regard to Iraq, or their notions of journalistic "balance" - anyone who has a problem with a positive depiction of this man's battlefield bravery is squarely rooting against Britain, not just British involvement in Iraq.

35 posted on 03/30/2008 6:20:09 PM PDT by M203M4 (True Universal Suffrage: Pets of dead illegal-immigrant felons voting Democrat (twice))
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To: george76; thundrey

LCpl Matt Croucher is one of Britain’s finest!

He deserves the Victoria Cross for this incredible act of bravery.


36 posted on 03/30/2008 6:20:47 PM PDT by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.org | DefendOurTroops.org)
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To: batco-barry

.


37 posted on 03/30/2008 6:25:54 PM PDT by ItisaReligionofPeace
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To: Dubya

That link is to a MUST READ on the story.

Matt says: “It’s a pretty unusual thing but the lads put me forward for the VC themselves. It’s entirely out of my hands. But if it was to happen it would be a massive honour not just for me but for the regiment and all my comrades.”


38 posted on 03/30/2008 6:29:07 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: thundrey

God bless you, Lance Corporal Croucher.


39 posted on 03/30/2008 6:29:44 PM PDT by Riptides
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To: thundrey

Wow...That takes courage. Pretty incredible that he made it through with just a nosebleed, too.


40 posted on 03/30/2008 6:31:50 PM PDT by RepublitarianRoger2
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