Russell and Carol - hayle and hearty

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.

Schmid arrived in Afghanistan in June. During his tour he made 64 improvised explosive devices safe and attended 11 finds of bomb-making equipment. He saved lives "time after time", said one commanding officer. Mrs Schmid last spoke to her husband two days before he died. On the phone, he sounded exhausted. He told her: "I need you to come and get me. I've only had a couple of hours sleep in four days. I'm so weary and homesick and I just want you, I need you. It's just too much now, too much now, too long for me."

Saturday 31 October was due to be his last day in the field. He would have been home in Winchester a week later. But on that day his 65th IED killed him.