Fears over pressures of bomb disposal

Colonel Bob Seddon, principal ammunition technical officer of the Royal Logistics Corps, suggested that he needed more operatives on the ground and raised fears over the psychological impact of the job.

The comments were made during a BBC Panorama programme which includes an interview with the widow of Staff Sergeant Olaf "Oz" Schmid, who died in October last year while attempting to defuse an improvised explosive device.

Staff Sgt Schmid was one of four bomb disposal experts to be killed in Afghanistan in little over a year.

Col Seddon said the Army was looking to bring more people into IED disposal teams but added that the measures would take "some time".

He said: "I am very concerned as their head of trade at the pressures that they are facing in Afghanistan.

"We are seeking now to bring people back into high-threat IED operations that have been out for some time.

"We are looking at more senior officers becoming involved in this. We've broadened our training and selection but it will take some time before these measures can come into play.

"And what it does mean is, it means the existing cohort are going to be under pressure."

Col Seddon added that he thought the British Army "could do with more high threat teams and IED operators in Afghanistan".

He also expressed his fears over the effect of the high-pressured job on the mental health of his team members.