You are a hero

[piskieinboots]

Lance Corporal Matt Croucher and I'm pleased you are still here for your family .... and bless him he said he felt guilty for setting the trip!!

[di]

Well deserved award!! Too much time seems to be focussed on whether our troops should still be there & sometimes the true bravery of those out there tends to become 2nd place. What an amazing bloke to have in our forces!

[TonyF]

I knew a serviceman in Northern Ireland back in the late 70s who was on duty when somebody tossed a grenade into a crowded shopping area. He didn't think twice, threw himself on top of it but he didn't make it unfortunately. Back then they didn't give awards publicly for Northern Ireland service or he would have surely got one.

But I was with his chums when they held his wake and that was one glorious send-off.

[Hans Mum]

listened to him being interviewed on Radio2 at lunchtime, and what an unassuming guy a thoroughly deserved award,

[lynda66]

awwwww what a sweetie ..... they all deserve medals anyway, but him especially, so glad he's still alive

[quark1]

Service men and women have no choice in where they are sent but for the mostpart - just weeny numbers of dissenters - serve their country well. Usually in anonimity but every now and then these huge acts of bravery and selflessness rightly make us remember just how grateful we should all be for their contributions - sometimes with terrible consequences for them and their families.

Whether we at home condone or condemn the politics, which sometimes takes them to far and dangerous places, is immaterial. Each and every one of them deserves our support for doing what the vast majority shy away from either because we are unable or, quite frankly, not up to the job of doing -ie not brave enough - count me amongst that number.

They should be supported whilst in service and that should extend to when they exit the forces to resume civvy life in abundance.

Hats off to each and every brave serviceman/woman - and don't forget those conscripted via the TA etc.

You have the grateful thanks of the Nation - even though it may not seem like it to you with all the PC that goes on today.

[HeyWayne]

Saw him on the news last night - there are a lot of people out there who could learn an awful lot from this chap.

Hats off to you dude.

[kirsty b]

Heard him on the radio too. What a top bloke. Just to add my tuppence worth, I agree with everything quark1 just said.
I have huge respect for the members of our armed forces and always have had. They didn't make the decisions about whether or not to start these or any other hostilities, they just go where they are told to and do a bloody hard job in crap circumstances a lot of the time.

[jackie j]

Totally agree just glad none of my sons joined up although one nearly did but decided not to at the last minute.
I think we should all be grateful for what they do a well deserved pat on the back to each and everyone of our sevice men and women, and commiserations to the family's who lose a loved one.

[Cloud]

This is something I feel strongly about[Oh god you all say] so I won't say nothing.

[beefy]

A true hero in every sense of the word and he probably thinks that he dosen't deserve the award because he just did what he had to do . He did it to protect the rest of the guys in his unit with out thinking of the cost to himself.

[piskieinboots]

This is something I feel strongly about[Oh god you all say] so I won't say nothing.

come on lad, let's hear it