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Bomb expert 'who saved hundreds' dies

By Terri Judd

S/Sgt Olaf Schmid, of the Royal Logistics Corps, had made safe 64 Taliban bombs during his latest tour of duty

Copyright David Gill

S/Sgt Olaf Schmid, of the Royal Logistics Corps, had made safe 64 Taliban bombs during his latest tour of duty

One of the Army's most prolific bomb disposal experts, who saved "countless lives", has been killed on the last day of his operational tour of Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant Olaf "Oz" Schmid died trying to defuse a bomb in the town of Sangin in Helmand on Saturday.

Last night, tributes were paid to the 30-year-old, who was known not just for his extreme bravery but for his wicked sense of humour and self-effacing modesty.

"In all my time in the Army, I have never met, nor am I ever likely to meet, a man like S/Sgt Schmid again. He truly was a once-in-a-generation phenomenon," said his commanding officer Major Tim Gould.

S/Sgt Schmid's widow Christina, mother of his stepson Laird, added: "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."

Two of S/Sgt Schmid's colleagues in his tight-knit unit, 11 EOD Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, have been killed in Afghanistan in the past year. WOII Gaz O'Donnell and Captain Dan Shepherd both died trying to defuse improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

S/Sgt Schmid, a Cornishman, served much of his career in 3 Commando Brigade and was swiftly selected for promotion before transferring to the Royal Logistics Corps. After arriving in Afghanistan on 10 June, he saw action during Operation Panther's Claw, the British offensive to capture Taliban strongholds in Helmand. During the course of his tour, he had managed to make safe 64 IEDs.

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Thomson, commanding officer of the 2 Battalion The Rifles, who recently returned from Afghanistan, said many of his troops owed S/Sgt Schmid their lives. "Every single company adored working with him. I adored working with him," he added. "No matter how difficult or lethal the task which lay in front of us, he was the man who only saw solutions. Superlatives do not do the man justice. Better than the best. Better than the best of the best."

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Butterfingers!
[info]hippydroog wrote:
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 at 12:23 am (UTC)

Hopefully, Christina will now find a decent man, who is not quite so interested in imperial domination of poor countries or helping murder innocents to achieve it.
With any luck the new guy will stick around and show her a good time - maybe even prove to be a good father to her son. Every cloud, as they say.
Re: Butterfingers!
[info]keira_b wrote:
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 at 01:51 am (UTC)
Whatever your personal beliefs about war etc, what a disgusting way to make a point. Christina has just lost her husband, and deserves only sympathy. As for her husband, his role was as the saver of lives - you think IEDs don't kill the locals? I have no desire to try and influence your political views, but please don't express them at the expense of those who are as much a victim of this war as anyone.
butterfingers
[info]mardyman wrote:
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 at 09:07 am (UTC)
I am appalled. What a twerp hippydroog must be. Does the Independent not have any moderators to prevent this trash getting published?
Staff Sergeant Schmid
[info]minamatania wrote:
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 at 11:42 am (UTC)
I usually avoid reading these kinds of articles otherwise I would go around in depression daily. Clearly those in the Army go into the Army knowing that they may one day lose their lives or be injured.

BUt right now, having read this, I am more saddened than ever. My thoughts go out to his family and friends and fellow soldiers.

What the HELL are we doing???!!!
THe cry remains 'WHY?'
Oz
[info]turps83 wrote:
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 at 08:34 pm (UTC)
i was a friend and colleague of SSGT Schmid and very lucky to have known him! i urge the people who run this site to remove the user known as hippydroogs comments
HippyDroog - Moderators!
[info]ljhaigh wrote:
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 at 08:54 pm (UTC)
As it has already been pointed out by many others, including a colleague of myself, what a twerp! Instead of pondering whether the distraught wife of a British hero will find someone who shares the beliefs of a blatant waste of organs, maybe the pertinent thought on this should be of one respect and care for those grieving, and not an opportunity to get on a soap box for an obviously very small minded man or woman. I'd hope the moderators see fit to delete this post and block the user. After all to quote "Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP logged and may be used to prevent further submission". Well its obvious that this post is both offensive to all and abusive to the memory of British service men and women who have faught and died for their country and our freedoms around the world.
What a person to be proud of
[info]patodetejas wrote:
Wednesday, 4 November 2009 at 12:16 am (UTC)
This guy sounds like a phenomenally skilled hero. Who difuses 64 IEDs in Afghanistan. Who has the guts? This man sounds like one of the most courageous in the middle east. He should be awarded and knighted by the Queen. I am proud just reading about him. What a skilled and dedicated soldier. I applaud him.
[info]britishspecster wrote:
Wednesday, 4 November 2009 at 01:13 am (UTC)
I to e was a wonderfull husband and father to his family. How dare you slag a man, no not just a man, but a true hero. He could have been saving you or a member of your family as we as oed operators make K also.

You are obviously against the war, but as soldiers we do as we are told, go were we are sent and protect narrow minded people like yourself.

The moderator should remove this person, if he doesn't appologise for his comments.

Go on, be a real man and say sorry, don't bitch about true heros.

John Younger
[info]britishspecster wrote:
Wednesday, 4 November 2009 at 01:18 am (UTC)
Something went wrong with this post, it should have read:

Oz was a wonderfull husband and father to his family. How dare you slag off a dead man, no not just a man, but a true hero. He could have been saving you or a member of your family as we as EOD operators do EOD to make safe bombs and IEDS in the UK also.

You are obviously against the war, but as soldiers we do as we are told, we go where we are sent and protect narrow minded people like yourself.

The moderator should remove this person, if he doesn't appologise for his comments.

Go on, be a real man and say sorry, don't bitch about true heros.

John Younger
Oz!! a true hero!!
[info]cld29 wrote:
Wednesday, 4 November 2009 at 12:50 pm (UTC)
I had the upmost pleasure and honour of meeting Oz, a man that was not only a true soldier but a humble, normal work colleague. My husband a member of the EOD had a huge amount of respect for this man, as did many of his men! I am appalled at the ignorance and uneducated mind of said 'BUTTERFINGERS' your political views are obviously your own, but EOD does not just take place in hot sandy war torn countries, in fact my husband gets called to many over here too. The British armies input into foreign affairs,although doesn't guarantee our safety as British citizens but it sure does help! As for commenting to a hurting, grieving widow I am truly disgusted, not only has she lost the man she adored, loved and respected, she is also now forced into the public eye. Both she and her son should be humbled to have a HERO in their lives, as I and every army wife i know is! Her son would be proud and respectful and be a upstanding member of any community, unlike many in todays society.
My deepest sympathy goes to s/sgt Schmids widow, but i know she is truly proud of her husband, and of the time they shared together!

From a VERY proud and EDUCATED army wife!
Re: Oz!! a true hero!!
[info]alexc77 wrote:
Wednesday, 4 November 2009 at 09:54 pm (UTC)
Very sad. Use these hereos as examples to live by.
[info]dangerous4148 wrote:
Thursday, 5 November 2009 at 10:22 pm (UTC)
I never fail to be amazed by the morons who infest this once great country, British soldiers have kept this country safe for countless years and are, ironically, the people responsible for making it possible for uninformed idiots to say whatever they like. I suppose if hippydroog was around during the second world war they would be whinging about the murder of innocent Germans. You're not funny hippydroog, you're an oxygen thief and an insult to humanity.
HIPPYDROOG SCUM
[info]mrsehughes wrote:
Saturday, 7 November 2009 at 09:05 am (UTC)
Hippydroog, you are a disgusting and dispicable person, have some god damn respect, Olaf was a hero and Christina has lost her husband, now go smoke your joint, get high and remember the soldiers that you slate for their job are the soldiers that allow you to sleep soundly in your bed, its about time people realised that not everypone agrees with why we are in Afghanistan but that should not deter us from supporting our husbands and wives, sons and daughters and friends whilst they are out there facing death for their Queen, their country and their flag.

Now go away and make some nasty comments on the global warming forum, Think yourself lucky that you still have the ability to have that freedom of speech and remember those that lay their lives down on the line to make that possbile for you!

A very disgusted but proud Soldier and Army wife!

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