Olaf Schmid

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. It was felt in some unspecified circles that, in both cases, an award of the Victoria Cross would have been more appropriate.

Schmid was born on 11 June 1979 in Truro, Cornwall, to a German mother, Barbara, and a Swedish father, Hans-Jörg 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.

Schmid served in Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia and Kosovo before being sent to Afghanistan in June 2009. He arrived during Operation Panther's Claw in Helmand Province. On 31 October 2009 Schmid was defusing a device in Sangin, Helmand Province when the device exploded, killing Schmid instantly.

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 Cathedral 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.

On 18 March 2010, Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff 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.