Olaf SchmidGCBomb disposal hero Staff Sergeant Olaf Sean George Schmid, of the Royal Logistic Corps, died in an explosion in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, on October 31, 2009.
Described by his commanding officer as the most courageous man he had ever met he was posthumously awarded the George Cross.
SSgt Schmid was born in Truro, Cornwall on 11 June 1979. He was married to Chrissy and had a stepson Laird. The family lived together in Winchester.
Chrissy paid tribute, saying: "Oz was a phenomenal husband and loving father who was cruelly murdered on his last day of a relentless five month tour.
"He was my best friend and soul mate. The pain of losing him is overwhelming. I take comfort knowing he saved countless lives with his hard work. I am so proud of him."
SSgt Schmid died instantly in an explosion in the Sangin region of Helmand Province. He was commanding an Improvised Explosive Device Disposal team dealing with a confirmed device which exploded as he defused it.
He had previouslydisarmed 64 roadside bombs in five months.
Lieutenant Col Robert Thomson, Commanding Officer 2 RIFLES BattleGroup said: "SSgt Oz Schmid was simply the bravest and most courageousman I have ever met. Under relentless IED and small arms attacks hestood taller than the tallest.
"I adored working with him. No matter how difficult or lethal thetask which lay in front of us, he was the man who only saw solutions.
"He saved lives in 2 RIFLES time after time and for that he willretain a very special place in every heart of every Rifleman in ourextraordinary Battle Group. Superlatives do not do the man justice.Better than the best. Better than the best of the best. Our thoughts andprayers are with his beloved family."
An Ammunition Technician by trade, SSgt Schmid served much of his career at the Commando Logistic Regt and enjoyed working in 3 Commando Brigade.
He sailed through the ranks and was selected for promotion to SSgt in April 2008.
He was posted to 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps as an AT Senior Non-Commissioned Officer at Alpha Troop providing close IEDD support to Special Forces and Police Tactical Firearms teams, an area in which he continued to thrive.
He had a natural aptitude for this work and made steady progress through numerous courses to become a High Threat Operator. He successfully passed the High Threat IEDD Course which qualified him to operate in Afghanistan, considered the pinnacle of any AT's operational career, where he arrived in June 2009.
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3357 visitors.Published: 02/11/2009
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67 Tributes left for Olaf
Christina and Olaf
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Olaf Schmid GC
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Olaf Schmid GC
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Olaf Schmid GC
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Olaf Schmid GC
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Wedding Day
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid
Left by funeral-notices.co.uk:
31/01/2014
SSgt Olaf Schmis is repatriated and honoured by the people of Wooton Bassett and serving and ex serv
Left by David Young:
31/01/2014
The George Cross awarded to Olaf posthumously.
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Inga Keller:I am so very thankful having read the story of this heroi...18/04/2013
SSgt Olaf Schmis is repatriated and honoured by the people of Wooton Bassett and serving and ex serv
Left by David Young:
31/01/2014
Comment
The George Cross awarded to Olaf posthumously.
Left by George Pollen:
31/01/2014
Comment
I am so very thankful having read the story of this heroic man in Christina Schmid´s book Always by My Side. Olaf OZ Schmid is, in my eyes, a unique example for a most rare virtue: forgetting about yourself for the sake of others. I am very grateful to learn about people like OZ who are both selfless and determined to do everything in order to stand up for our values and human rights we have developed in the Western hemisphere over many centuries.
I also appreciate his wife´s efforts to make sure that his contribution to mankind will not be forgotten. Christina Schmid is an amazing woman who is capable to turn her most painful experiences into a lesson in hope. I cherish this couple a lot though I do hope Christina has opened a new wonderful chapter in her life with her new partner. She deserves to be happy.
