Matt had less than seven seconds to make up his mind whether to risk sacrificing his own life to save his friends when a hand grenade rolled into their path during an operation in Afghanistan. Without hesitation he chose to chance death and save his three fellow Royal Marines, an act of heroism recognised by him becoming only the 74th living recipient of the George Cross.
Matt recounts the situation in a manner that epitomises both his bravery and his ability to think clearly under unimaginable pressure, "it was a case of either having four of us as fatalities or badly wounded or one".
When he saw the situation arise he dived onto the floor, rolled up and used his backpack - containing a 66mm rocket - to cover the lethal shrapnel fragments from the coming blast. This ability to make the hardest of decisions without hesitation is something that resonates closely with all walks of life, whether it is business or personal, making Matt a highly sought after speaker.
Matt has kept his backpack as a trophy of the day he beat the grim reaper, a constant reminder of "how lucky I am".
Matt's incredible story and admirable values make him a fascinating speaker for any audience. It is not only his bravery, which saw him awarded the George Cross, but also his experience as a Royal Marine that makes Matt an authority on leadership, teamwork and thinking clearly under pressure.
Motivation
Conquering Fear
Leadership
Thinking clearly under pressure
Teamwork
"He acted to save his comrades in the most certain knowledge that he would not himself survive"
Sir Jock Stirrup, Head of the Defence Staff"Am I the only person to think that the media sometimes abuses the word 'Hero' ? For me footballers, celebrities and TV presenters are not heroes…….Matt Croucher, he's a true Hero'. 'He's one heck of an inspiration'."
Noel Edmonds"What can I say, he's an inspiration".
Richard Hammond"I'm not surprised that any serviceman is brave, that's what we hope we will all be when tested. But this was obviously an exceptional occasion, in an exceptional set of conditions, which marked him out as the very bravest".
Admiral Sir Jonathan Band'This is one of the most astonishing stories of bravery we've ever had the privilege to tell on Pride of Britain'.
Carol Vorderman'This is the most extraordinary example of bravery I've ever heard of, I was a Soldier myself and that's where the resemblance between Matt and I finishes'
Sir Michael Kane'Matt Croucher's bravery shows why we should all be in awe of our Armed Forces'
Jeremy Clarkson
A dynamic and versatile speaker, Josh is able to draw upon his experience and expertise to give inf…