Lance Corporal Matt Croucher, HeroAnd
very fortunate, besides.
A live hand-grenade was released threatening to blow up L/Cpl Croucher, 24 and the rest of the patrol.
The marine shouted "grenade" and as his friends dived for cover L/Cpl Croucher lay with his back on the lethal device.
But amazingly:
L/Cpl Croucher, who suffered a bleeding nose and shock, was saved by the special plating inside his Osprey body armour. He almost certainly saved the life of Marine Scott Easter who had "just completely frozen".
His backpack took the brunt of the explosion, but as noted in the story, there was no way he could have known that at the time.
Particularly heartening are the comments on that article. Highly recommended!
Labels: Heroes, Matt Croucher