'Legendary' soldier who defused 64 Taliban bombs... only to be killed by the 65th, on his last day



An army bomb disposal expert who saved countless lives in Afghanistan was killed on his final mission in the warzone.

Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, 30, died instantly when a roadside bomb he was trying to disarm blew up.

The Improvised Explosive Devices are the favoured weapon of the Taliban and since June Sergeant Schmid had successfully dealt with 64 of them.

Legendary figure: Olaf Schmid was renowned for his expertise in disarming explosive devices. Colleagues described him as an inspiration

Senior military officers described the Royal Logistics Corps warrior as a 'legend' who 'stared death in the face on a daily basis'.

He was on his last operational day of a five-month stint when he lost his life. He was due to fly home for a two-week break with his family this Saturday before returning to Afghanistan for a final month.

Offering a chilling insight into the mortal dangers he faced, Sergeant Schmid - nicknamed 'Oz' - told ITN News before he deployed of the gruelling 'mental, emotional and physical challenge' of disarming bombs.

His devastated wife Christina said last night she felt overwhelming grief but 'took comfort' in knowing that her husband had saved dozens of lives.

Sergeant Schmid - described by officers as a man of extreme courage - was killed near Sangin in the notorious badlands of Helmand Province on Saturday. He had been commanding a team who were tackling a roadside explosive when it blew up.

One of the Army's busiest bomb disposal experts, he had made safe one in every 19 IEDs found by British troops this year since his tour in Afghanistan began in June.

In one 24-hour operation to clear one of the most dangerous routes in Afghanistan, nicknamed the Pharmacy Road, he found 31 roadside bombs.

Bomb disposal experts get rid of a Taliban IED using a controlled explosion in southern Afghanistan

His expertise was also vital in Operation Panther's Claw, an offensive to smash Taliban strongholds ahead of the flawed presidential elections.



Sergeant Schmid was born in Cornwall and lived in Winchester, Hampshire, with Christina and his five-year-old stepson Laird.

Christina said: 'Oz was a phenomenal husband and loving father who was cruelly murdered on his last day of a relentless tour. He was my best friend and soulmate. The pain of losing him is overwhelming.

'I take comfort knowing he saved countless lives with his hard work.'

His father-in-law John Avis, 64, of Eastleigh, Hampshire, said: 'He was extremely brave. I think he was quite apprehensive about what he had to do. We all knew it was possible that he would not come back because of the danger of his job but he faced it with extraordinary courage.'

Sergeant Schmid was the 224th British serviceman to die since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001.



He is the third IED disposal soldier to be killed in the last year after Taliban fighters stepped up their use of the roadside bombs.

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson, commanding officer of 2 Rifles Battle Group, which was based around Sangin, said: 'Oz Schmid was simply the bravest and most courageous man I have ever met.

'He saved lives time after time. Superlatives do not do the man justice. He was better than the best of the best.'

Lieutenant Colonel Gareth Bex, commanding officer of the counter-IED task force, said: 'The tag "legend" is frequently bestowed nowadays but in his case it is rightly justified.



'His courage was not displayed in a fleeting moment of time; he stared death in the face on a daily basis. Many soldiers and ordinary Afghans owe their lives to his gallant actions.'

Staff Sergeant Shaun Marsh, a Royal Engineer Search Advisor, a member of a team which works hand-in-hand with bomb disposal experts, said: 'Oz was an inspiration to the team; full of knowledge and mostly his bubbly charisma and sense of humour.'

Major Tim Gould, officer commanding the Joint Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group, said: 'In all my time in the Army, I have never met, nor am I ever likely to meet, a man like Sergeant Schmid again. He truly was a once in a generation phenomenon.'

Sergeant Schmid joined the Army in 1996 and progressed through the ranks. He qualified as a high-threat IED disposal expert earlier this year which allowed him to operate in Afghanistan, sometimes alongside special forces.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said the soldier's ' bravery, skill and selfless commitment undoubtedly saved lives'.



● Troops have not been able to train on Mastiff armoured vehicles until they reach Afghanistan, the Tories claimed last night.



Shortages at home mean many soldiers cannot familiarise themselves with the trucks until they reach the warzone, said Tory defence spokesman Gerald Howarth.



Mastiffs are designed to provide better protection against IEDs.



He raised the issue during defence questions in the Commons but Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell said the 'priority' was getting the Mastiffs to the battlefield.