'Bravest of the brave' hailed in citations

TWO Army bomb disposal experts were hailed as "the bravest of the brave" yesterday after being awarded the George Cross for their incredible heroism in Afghanistan.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Mar 2010, 10:10 BST
Updated 19th Mar 2010, 10:10 BST

Close friends Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, 30, and Staff Sergeant Kim Hughes, 30, received the honour after making safe scores of Taliban improvised explosive devices (IEDs) – many by hand.

Staff Sgt Schmid, known as Oz, who was born in Cornwall but lived in Hampshire, was killed attempting to disarm a bomb in the deadly Sangin area of Helmand Province in October.

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During his time in Afghanistan he personally dealt with 70 IEDs, saving the lives of many of his comrades and Afghan civilians.

Staff Sgt Hughes, from Shropshire, was honoured for what was described as "the single most outstanding act of explosive ordnance disposal ever recorded in Afghanistan".

On one day last summer, he dismantled seven IEDs by hand without any protective clothing so that five seriously wounded soldiers and the bodies of two comrades could be recovered.

Sitting next to Christina Schmid, Staff Sgt Hughes said: "To be honoured, to be sat here with Chrissie, to know that I've achieved the award and Oz has achieved that award, is out of this world to be honest."

Related topics:AfghanistanTaliban