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Soldier Uses Body to Shield Comrades from Grenade Blast, Survives Thanks to Backpack
Posted by Addy Dugdale at 10:00 AM on March 31, 2008
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 armour 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 (AU Comments · US Comments)
CINK
Posted March 31, 2008 1:39 PM
that takes balls, ill give him that.
if he dives onto a grenade, what would he do if he accidentally spilt a class of water haha
matto
Posted 10:39 AM 31/3/08
He should also get the Butterfingers Award.
matto
thechansen
Posted 10:37 AM 31/3/08
@LoganC: I think it was a trap, not the soldier pulling the pin and saying "oops". Amazing story though.
thechansen
emergeoriginal
Posted 10:33 AM 31/3/08
balls of steel and completely selfless.
i tip my hat to you sir.
emergeoriginal
bngi
Posted 10:24 AM 31/3/08
Must have been a boblbee! na jokes aside.
Cool if its truly what happened, cudos to him.
bngi
LoganC
Posted 10:20 AM 31/3/08
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-
LoganC
Lavallee017
Posted 10:14 AM 31/3/08
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!
Lavallee017
daftrok
Posted 10:06 AM 31/3/08
They need some carbon fiber armor. Like this:
[newsimg.bbc.co.uk]
daftrok
GC
Posted 10:03 AM 31/3/08
What I want to know is, where can I order a kickass backpack like that?
GC
sfokevin
Posted 11:07 AM 31/3/08
I am shocked no one has bellied up a comment about their Timbuk2 & MacBook Pro experiences yet...
sfokevin
Erwos
Posted 11:04 AM 31/3/08
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!"
Erwos
hallius
Posted 11:03 AM 31/3/08
lol @ matto.
hallius
LoganC
Posted 11:02 AM 31/3/08
@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-
LoganC
digodemais
Posted 10:54 AM 31/3/08
Respect.
digodemais
albtms
Posted 10:51 AM 31/3/08
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.
albtms
Islandkiwi
Posted 12:17 PM 31/3/08
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.
Islandkiwi
jcy
Posted 12:00 PM 31/3/08
someone rewrite this entry, apparently no one's RTFA
jcy
Luuey
Posted 11:56 AM 31/3/08
@banmojo: no man, from what i gather it was a booby trap that he was more than likely trying to diffuse.
Luuey
JustThisGuy
Posted 11:54 AM 31/3/08
@banmojo: RTFA.
JustThisGuy
banmojo
Posted 11:49 AM 31/3/08
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
Tohe
Posted 12:37 PM 31/3/08
What a brave lad! Wish you a speedy recovery mate.
Tohe
JaggedToaster
Posted 1:02 PM 31/3/08
@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.
JaggedToaster
Hiphopopotamus
Posted 12:52 PM 31/3/08
Nothing but admiration for the guy, but are you eligible for the Victoria Cross for saving comrades from danger you put them in?
Hiphopopotamus
FlashSandbox
Posted 1:39 PM 31/3/08
Was the pack made with Cordora?
FlashSandbox
elint6
Posted 1:59 PM 31/3/08
@Hiphopopotamus: @JaggedToaster: It was a booby trap. RTFA.
elint6
computermachina
Posted 1:56 PM 31/3/08
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.
computermachina
myotheralt
Posted 1:49 PM 31/3/08
@sfokevin: I have a Dell that is ready to take a bullet for me. /me army combat camera
myotheralt
Kingteddybear
Posted 2:30 PM 31/3/08
Speechless in face of such bravery.
Kingteddybear
Neight
Posted 2:56 PM 31/3/08
How much longer till grenade-washed jackets and pants become the rage?
Neight
tegronin
Posted 3:38 PM 31/3/08
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.
tegronin
bunch.of.wackos
Posted 3:51 PM 31/3/08
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...
bunch.of.wackos
N@tedog
Posted 4:31 PM 31/3/08
I mean... I'm glad he's alive and everything.. but still you get my point...
N@tedog
aaron8301
Posted 4:30 PM 31/3/08
I sincerely hope this lad receives the Victoria Cross.
My hat is off to you, sir.
aaron8301
N@tedog
Posted 4:30 PM 31/3/08
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.
N@tedog
AnonAMoose
Posted 5:15 PM 31/3/08
Holy crap.... the army rejected dragon skin !
+ Watch video
AnonAMoose
AnonAMoose
Posted 5:12 PM 31/3/08
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
AnonAMoose
Barion
Posted 6:45 PM 31/3/08
@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?
Barion
Sergeant JoKer
Posted 6:28 PM 31/3/08
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.
Sergeant JoKer
Aqua32
Posted 7:42 PM 31/3/08
Way to go, man. Way to go. Makes me wonder how many others would have done the same.
Aqua32
jackbrown
Posted 8:59 PM 31/3/08
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.
jackbrown
Stalhandske
Posted 9:16 PM 31/3/08
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.
Stalhandske
nevin
Posted 10:20 PM 31/3/08
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]
nevin
evilR3
Posted 10:38 PM 31/3/08
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...
evilR3
MastaFalse
Posted 11:51 PM 31/3/08
WHOO! I see we humans still possess noble qualities. This motherfucker has BALLS.
MastaFalse
SgtBeavis
Posted 12:26 AM 1/4/08
@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.
SgtBeavis
DTownIndy
Posted 1:36 AM 1/4/08
Long Live the Heroes!!!
DTownIndy
WhateverWorks
Posted 2:30 AM 1/4/08
@kurrupt_1:
He jumped on a fscking gernade to save his friends you dick wad. If he hadn't most likely everyone would have gotten seriously injured to the point of incapacitation including him, so was it smarter to try and block the grenade and have friends left alive and capable of possibly caring for your wounds or just sit back and wait for everyone to get blown to hell?
WhateverWorks
krugorg
Posted 2:29 AM 1/4/08
He meant to say that the predicted kill radius (i.e. everything dead in the circle) of that type of grenade is 5 meters, not circumference. Casualty radius is 15 meters. Yeah, he was definitely lucky as well as being very brave!
krugorg
krugorg
Posted 2:25 AM 1/4/08
By the way, he meant to say the grenade had a 5 meter killing radius, not circumference. 15 meter casualty radius. Yeah, he was damn lucky as well as being extremely brave!
krugorg
Razta
Posted 2:22 AM 1/4/08
Nice job!!! Thanks for serving!
Razta
DaOtter
Posted 2:21 AM 1/4/08
@Sergeant JoKer: DragonSkin didn't meet the criteria because the ceramic discs shatter too easily. Bulletproof it may be, but only for one hit each. Sad, really. I thought it was hella tight... :-\
DaOtter
kurrupt_1
Posted 2:19 AM 1/4/08
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.
kurrupt_1
xluckyx
Posted 4:49 PM 31/3/08
@N@tedog: Dude, shut up. He was GIVING HIS LIFE and made it out of it okay. Quit being a tool.
xluckyx
DustyGozongas
Posted 1:03 PM 31/3/08
It takes some massive balls to jump onto something thats about to explode. I would have dove in the other direction.
DustyGozongas
pspdud
Posted 10:34 AM 31/3/08
he didnt set off a grenade by accident. he set off a rigged grenade, quite a bit of difference there.
pspdud
njgtechguy
Posted 10:15 AM 31/3/08
how did he accidentaly use a grenade?
njgtechguy
dasnake
Posted 3:09 AM 1/4/08
nice, like takign a bullet for your best friend this is a true example of bravery!!
dasnake
coolfelix
Posted 2:35 AM 1/4/08
@N@tedog: says the fatbeard sitting at his desktop
coolfelix
Pender
Posted 4:29 AM 1/4/08
I don't understand. Wouldn't it have been a better idea to throw the grenade rather than lying on it for several seconds? Maybe not, if you don't know when it's going to blow.
Pender
EBone
Posted 4:13 AM 1/4/08
Hero.
EBone
superbryant88
Posted 4:55 AM 1/4/08
@njgtechguy: no what happened is he set of a rigged grenade which I believe is like when they pull the pin and set the grenade up against a door so, when the door is opened the lever is no longer depressed which makes it explode.
superbryant88
Skeptical_Geezer
Posted 7:16 AM 1/4/08
This is one of the reasons soldiers are treated so harshly during training - to make them bond to the other soldiers in their unit and think of them as brothers rather than some git stranger from hundreds of miles away. Evolution has prepared man to act altruistically for family - strangers ... less so.
Skeptical_Geezer
Geisrud
Posted 7:09 AM 1/4/08
All the troops regardless of where they are or active duty status have some stones. I have nothing but the highest respect for our soldiers and our allies who fight so that I don't have to (although, I did try to enlist back in '98).
Sir, Thank you for all you do.
Geisrud
Plasmafire
Posted 7:44 AM 1/4/08
My best friend in the army tells me the following:
They teach us in BCT to take off our helmets and put it over the grenade and then lie on the helmet. Theory being that it will contain the blast and protect you, or at least contain it enough where it won't kill everyone else around you.
Plasmafire
Plasmafire
Posted 7:42 AM 1/4/08
It wasn't the backpack itself that sheilded him from the blast, but rather what was in the backpack... he can thank his superiors for all the crap they make him haul around.
Plasmafire
PynkFloydd
Posted 10:00 AM 1/4/08
I was an RTO (radio guy) in a rapid deploy line unit for the U.S. Army for a time. If the British radios are anything like the U.S. ones, they're only about 4" wide by 12" long. He had a lot of pure luck. From what I know about shaped charges and explosives, I think what saved his life is that he layed on his side. ...essentially redirecting the blast instead of just absorbing the deadly shrapnel and amplifying the blast pressure. If he would have layed directly on it, he probably would have been dead.
PynkFloydd
Scotland
Posted 9:44 AM 1/4/08
@superbryant88: "Walking in the darkness among a group of four men, Croucher stepped into a tripwire that pulled the pin from a boobytrap grenade." - [www.timesonline.co.uk]
"So he screws up just to be honored?" is wrong "kurrupt_1" as im sure others have pointed out.
Scotland
bitgod
Posted 10:10 AM 1/4/08
Did he remember to shout "IT'S A TRAP!" first?
I'd buy him a drink none the less, I'm sure he's got plenty of drinks lined up for him already.
bitgod
GundamSLR
Posted 1:08 PM 1/4/08
i say give him the damn cross! god damn he must have big cohones to do that
GundamSLR
N@tedog
Posted 5:36 AM 2/4/08
@Barion: I stand corrected, humbled.
N@tedog