Olaf Schmid
Encyclopedia
Staff Sergeant
Olaf Sean George Schmid GC
(11 June 1979 – 31 October 2009) was a British Army
bomb disposal expert (Ammunition Technician
) who was killed in action in the Afghanistan conflict
. Schmid was posthumously awarded the George Cross
after he made safe 70 devices before his death in October 2009. The citation was presented to Schmid's widow, Christina Schmid, by the Chief of the Defence Staff
Sir Jock Stirrup
on 18 March 2010 in a ceremony in the City of London
. The announcement of the award of the GC to Staff Sergeant Kim Hughes
was made at the same time.
, Cornwall
, to a German mother, Barbara, and a Swedish father, Hans-Joerg Schmid, he was brother to Torben and half brother to Gregory. He was educated at Polwhele House School and Penair School
in Truro, and was a choir boy in Truro Cathedral Choir, ultimately becoming head chorister. He first joined the army in 1996, enlisting in the Royal Logistic Corps
and shortly afterwards he applied to train as a bomb disposal specialist. Schmid lived in Winchester
, Hampshire
, with his wife Christina and his stepson Laird.
in Helmand Province. On 31 October 2009 Schmid was defusing a device in Sangin, Helmand Province when the device exploded, killing Schmid instantly.
on 24 November 2009. On 21 September 2010, his widow, Christina Schmid, was a contributor in a programme in BBC Radio 4
's Soul Music series about Gabriel Fauré
's Requiem
with conductor David Willcocks. The Requiem was performed at the memorial service for Schmid.
announced that Schmid would be posthumously awarded the George Cross, and presented a framed copy of the citation to Schmid's widow during a ceremony at the headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company
in the City of London. The award was gazetted
on 19 March 2010. Schmid's widow, Christina, was presented with the medal in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace
on 2 June 2010. She attended the ceremony with her son Laird and her parents.
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
Olaf Sean George Schmid GC
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
(11 June 1979 – 31 October 2009) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
bomb disposal expert (Ammunition Technician
Ammunition Technician
An Ammunition Technician is a British Army soldier trained to inspect, repair, test and store, and modify all ammunition and explosives used by the British Army...
) who was killed in action in the Afghanistan conflict
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. Schmid was posthumously awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
after he made safe 70 devices before his death in October 2009. The citation was presented to Schmid's widow, Christina Schmid, by the Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
Sir Jock Stirrup
Jock Stirrup
Air Chief Marshal Graham Eric "Jock" Stirrup, Baron Stirrup, GCB, AFC, FRAeS, FCMI, RAF, is a former senior Royal Air Force commander, who was the Chief of the Defence Staff from 2006 until his retirement in late 2010. He is also a Crossbench member of the House of Lords.As a junior RAF officer,...
on 18 March 2010 in a ceremony in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The announcement of the award of the GC to Staff Sergeant Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes (GC)
Warrant Officer Class 2 Kim Spencer Hughes GC is a British Army bomb disposal expert who was awarded the George Cross as a Staff Sergeant for gallant acts carried out in the Afghanistan conflict. Hughes made safe over 80 improvised explosive devices on his tour of Afghanistan...
was made at the same time.
Early life
Schmid was born on 11 June 1979 in TruroTruro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, to a German mother, Barbara, and a Swedish father, Hans-Joerg Schmid, he was brother to Torben and half brother to Gregory. He was educated at Polwhele House School and Penair School
Penair School
Penair School is a secondary school in Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom, for children aged 11–16. It is named after Penair House, a mansion built in the late 18th century by Rear-Admiral Robert Carthew Reynolds. It is currently reviewed as an outstanding school by government inspectors Ofsted. The...
in Truro, and was a choir boy in Truro Cathedral Choir, ultimately becoming head chorister. He first joined the army in 1996, enlisting in the Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
and shortly afterwards he applied to train as a bomb disposal specialist. Schmid lived in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, with his wife Christina and his stepson Laird.
Army career
Schmid served in Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia and Kosovo before being sent to Afghanistan in June 2009. He arrived during Operation Panther's ClawOperation Panther's Claw
Operation Panchai Palang, or Panther's Claw, was a British-led military operation of the Afghan War in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. It aimed to secure various canal and river crossings to establish a permanent International Security Assistance Force presence in the area...
in Helmand Province. On 31 October 2009 Schmid was defusing a device in Sangin, Helmand Province when the device exploded, killing Schmid instantly.
Death
After Schmid's death was announced several people left tributes to his courage. Schmid's commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Thomson, commanding 2nd Rifles Battle Group, said: "Staff-Sergeant Oz Schmid was simply the bravest and most courageous man I have ever met. Under relentless IED and small arms attacks he stood taller than the tallest." A funeral and memorial service was held at Truro CathedralTruro Cathedral
The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Truro is an Anglican cathedral located in the city of Truro, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It was built in the Gothic Revival architectural style fashionable during much of the nineteenth century, and is one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom...
on 24 November 2009. On 21 September 2010, his widow, Christina Schmid, was a contributor in a programme in BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Soul Music series about Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
's Requiem
Requiem (Fauré)
Gabriel Fauré composed his Requiem in D minor, Op. 48 between 1887 and 1890. This choral–orchestral setting of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead is the best known of his large works. The most famous movement is the soprano aria Pie Jesu...
with conductor David Willcocks. The Requiem was performed at the memorial service for Schmid.
George Cross
On 18 March 2010, Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence StaffChief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
announced that Schmid would be posthumously awarded the George Cross, and presented a framed copy of the citation to Schmid's widow during a ceremony at the headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
in the City of London. The award was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 19 March 2010. Schmid's widow, Christina, was presented with the medal in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 2 June 2010. She attended the ceremony with her son Laird and her parents.