Gizmodo
When a British soldier on patrol in Afghanistan set a rigged grenade off by mistake, his first thought was for the safety of his comrades. So, in order to protect them, Lance-Corporal David Croucher dived on the grenade and turned on his side, with only a backpack—containing a first-aid kit, 66-millimeter rocket and radio equipment—and his body armor to protect him. Seconds later, the booby-trap exploded.
Thanks to the 24-year old Royal Marine's pack and armour, he escaped with nothing more than a bloody nose. The rucksack, however, was not so lucky. Explains Croucher:
"It was blown straight off my back. The blast shunted me a full metre. The lithium battery for my communication equipment took the brunt of the shrapnel—it landed 10 metres away with sparks and flames flying from it. I was completely disorientated. All I could hear was a loud ringing and the faint sound of people shouting 'Are you ok? Are you ok?' Then I felt one of the lads giving me a top to toe check. A minute later someone said 'you were f****** lucky'. They were like 'what are you doing, you nutter?' But you could feel their relief.""I knew a grenade like this has a killing circumference of about five metres," continued the 24-year-old Royal Marine. "The lads behind me would have caught a lot too. I'm very tight with the other three guys. There have been a few times when they've saved my bacon. So I went down next to the grenade. I figured that if I could keep my torso and head intact I'd probably survive any other injuries — although I fully expected to lose a limb."
Apart from the burst blood vessels in his nose caused by the shockwave from the explosion, Lance-Corporal Croucher was unscathed. His selfless actions have caused him to be nominated for the Victoria Cross, the British army's highest award for bravery. If the committee in charge agrees, he will be only the ninth man since World War II to receive it. [News Of The World]
Comments
What I want to know is, where can I order a kickass backpack like that?
They need some carbon fiber armor. Like this:
[newsimg.bbc.co.uk]
Great story to round up my weekend! Balls and Bravery are good qualities I'm glad to hear that members of the British Armed Forces possess.
OORAH!
how did he accidentaly use a grenade?
It's nice to hear that he would do that for his fellow pals, though, that's a BIG mistake to make, setting of a grenade by accident. At least nobody was hurt or worse, killed.
-LoganC-
Must have been a boblbee! na jokes aside.
Cool if its truly what happened, cudos to him.
balls of steel and completely selfless.
i tip my hat to you sir.
he didnt set off a grenade by accident. he set off a rigged grenade, quite a bit of difference there.
@LoganC: I think it was a trap, not the soldier pulling the pin and saying "oops". Amazing story though.
He should also get the Butterfingers Award.
Nice, too bad they didn't have better equipment back in the day. Back when the World Wars were being fought, a large majority of the Medal of Honor recipients were dead, from having saved their comrades by jumping on grenades.
Respect.
@thechansen: Oh...yes, you are right. My apologies. After reading it again I see that he set OFF a rigged grenade trap, not set one. I have a lot of respect for people who fight for their countries, and this person went one step further. Great man he is.
-LoganC-
lol @ matto.
Fascinating story. Brave man. Also, I wonder is this is a viable technique to teach soldiers? "If you're gonna dive on a grenade, put your damn backpack on top of it first!"
I am shocked no one has bellied up a comment about their Timbuk2 & MacBook Pro experiences yet...
God bless this Brit soldier for his selfless actions, but damn man, setting off a grenade on accident? Not sure I'd nominate him for that medal he may receive.
@banmojo: RTFA.
@banmojo: no man, from what i gather it was a booby trap that he was more than likely trying to diffuse.
someone rewrite this entry, apparently no one's RTFA
Yeah, saying this was a mistake makes it seem like he mishandled a grenade. He set off a booby trap and protected his comrades from the blast, and certainly deserves some recognition for it.
What a brave lad! Wish you a speedy recovery mate.
Nothing but admiration for the guy, but are you eligible for the Victoria Cross for saving comrades from danger you put them in?
@Hiphopopotamus: I would guess so. He could have easily set it off and screwed all of them over, but he thought of the others before himself and made sure they wouldn't be hurt. So yes, I say he is eligible.
It takes some massive balls to jump onto something thats about to explode. I would have dove in the other direction.
Was the pack made with Cordora?
@sfokevin: I have a Dell that is ready to take a bullet for me. /me army combat camera
I think people need to know that traps over there aren't easy to spot like some string and sticks. He might of triggered it but just as easily his comrades behind him could of set it off.
@Hiphopopotamus: @JaggedToaster: It was a booby trap. RTFA.
Speechless in face of such bravery.
How much longer till grenade-washed jackets and pants become the rage?
not like the dude is ever going to read this but...
there are no words to describe the honor in selfless act that you performed. Possibly a result of your training or of values instilled into you, but you acted when others would wait to react. I would approve your Victoria's Cross if I could. Certainly you have displayed that you should be recognized as a gentleman.
Good thing he had some heavy duty com equipment in the backpack... had it been a MacBook air the story would be different... those things wouldn't protect you from a heavy cough
Enough jokes.. is good to see some people still have courage and everything that is defined as worthwhile in a human being... i hope more politicians (UK, US, worldwide) understood the basic truth of this actions...
This nutjob gets the Victoris Cross for being a friggin stooge!?!? How about my gramps gets it for losing feeling in his leg in WW2 fighting with these backward jackasses or any of the thousands of other guys who did jobs ten times as 'heroic'. What a crock.
I sincerely hope this lad receives the Victoria Cross.
My hat is off to you, sir.
I mean... I'm glad he's alive and everything.. but still you get my point...
@N@tedog: Dude, shut up. He was GIVING HIS LIFE and made it out of it okay. Quit being a tool.
Really cool that he did that, As for teaching soldiers to do that well... not such a good idea. he got extremely lucky. altho they are making huge advances in body armor now a days. I was watching Future Weapons on the Military channel and saw a segment about dragon skin. they placed a dummy in dragon skin body armor on a live nade. they say that the armor held up to the blast. as for the person ... i wouldnt think that they would survive.
+ Watch video
Holy crap.... the army rejected dragon skin !
+ Watch video
Very heroic and a blessing that he survived. A true hero!
Anybody ever watch the episode of MythBusters that shows whether or not somebody could save their squad by throwing themselves on a grenade? I guess this guy confirmed the myth.
@AnonAMoose: DragonSkin is so awesome. I wish the military would approve it. I have to wear Interceptor Body Armor, which weighs a shit-ton and will only stop a round or two before the ceramic plate shatters and becomes worthless, unless I am one of the unlucky ones who gets the fragments from the bullet and plate shoved in my throat.
@N@tedog: No, I don't get your point. Did you actually read what happened? I mean, really, carefully, thoroughly read the story? Not the summary here, but the actual article to which this blog entry links? Because if you did, you'd see that this was a booby-trap, set by the Taliban, with the tripwire on the ground at shin level, and it occurred in the dark, around midnight, with everyone wearing night vision goggles. The grenade was actually higher up, on a stick, but the force of the tripwire apparently caused it to fall off and land near his feet. His quick thinking and willingness to sacrifice himself to save his mates is beyond commendable, and you call him a stooge?
Way to go, man. Way to go. Makes me wonder how many others would have done the same.
summary should be re-written to underline the fact that he didn't drop his own grenade or something. He set off a booby trap by stepping through a door. When he realized what had happened, he jumped on the grenade. Pretty goddamn heroic.
Some time ago a SEAL saved his friends by doing the same, but he did it face down instead and unfortunately he didn't survive, RIP.
It sounds really harsh, but I don't think he will get the VC for this. It is very difficult to get one at all.
He will get the George Cross. It is still unclear as to wether a booby trap counts as being in the face of the enemy, which is one of the conditions for the award of the VC. The George Cross doesn't require that.
[en.wikipedia.org]
Selfless acts like this one deserve the highest level of commendation. Regardless of whether or not he tripped it, he recognized his fault and without hesitiation put his life for his brothers in arms. There is no price greater than that of sacrificing ones own life...
WHOO! I see we humans still possess noble qualities. This motherfucker has BALLS.
@nevin:
A valid point. I'm not sure how the British military will evaluate it but in the US military this would be considered "in the face of the enemy" because the soldier dealt with an enemy weapon that was intended to kill a British soldier. Either way it is bravery in the highest regard when you intentionally take action to save others when you know you will most certainly die.
But whether he gets the VC or not he has one helluva story to relate to his kids and grandkids. He also has a lot of families that are very thankful their sons, fathers, etc are coming home because of his actions.
Long Live the Heroes!!!
So he screws up just to be honored? Well it could have been far worse. Good to know he lived not to make the same mistake twice.