UK:Marine hero, saves others and lives to tell the story

George Cross Marine would jump on hand grenade again
A Royal Marine who received the George Cross for "a supreme act of heroism" after he jumped on a hand grenade to shield his comrades says he would repeat the action again to save the lives of others.
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Last Updated: 9:14PM BST 23 Jul 2008
L/Cpl Matthew Croucher, 24, was described by the head of the military Sir Jock Stirrup as the "exceptional among the exceptional" for the actions which saw him receive the highest gallantry award.

His mother Margaret and father Richard, said their son's modesty meant they had only found out about the grenade incident after it appeared in the newspapers a few weeks after the incident in February.

"My reaction was 'That's simply Matthew'," his mother said. "There have been so many incidents in private life where he has always put people first."

During a covert pre-dawn patrol to investigate a Taliban bomb factory the Marine walked through a tripwire that sent a grenade rolling to the ground.

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