‘Rushed’ bomb disposal hero died in blast

Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid appeared “impatient” and “frustrated” following a poignant phone call with five-year-old Laird on the eve of his death, an inquest heard yesterday.

The 30-year-old, who was posthumously awarded the George Cross for disarming 64 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in five months, was “not his usual jovial self”, comrades said.

Angered by delays, he told one fellow soldier to “hurry up” in the hours before he died attempting to disarm his third set of IEDs that day, the day before he was due to return home to the UK.

Lance Corporal Gary Parsons fought back tears as he recalled the incident.

“It was as though he had set himself a timeframe to complete the tasks,” L/Cpl Parsons told the hearing in Truro, Cornwall.

“We do not set timeframes,” he added.

L/Cpl Parsons said his mood may have been explained by the phone call S/Sgt Schmid had with Laird.

During the conversation, Laird had said: “Daddy, time to come home”, he added.

Other comrades paid tribute to their “inspirational” leader but said S/Sgt Schmid had seemed under pressure and had made “some sort of comment about speeding up”.

Corporal Thomas Stace said S/Sgt Schmid, who served with the Royal Logistic Corps, had been “somewhat impatient” on October 31, 2009.

But he clarified the pressure he was under was not imposed by Army chiefs.

“I think he was under pressure to deal with them all and that it was a self-imposed pressure,” Cpl Stace said in written evidence to the hearing.

Corporal Robert Nealey told the inquest: “He was not his usual jovial self. I put that down to last-day jitters.”

Describing his character, Cpl Nealey added: “Oz was not the sort of man to leave a job half done. He would have put pressure on himself to finish.”

S/Sgt Schmid’s widow, Christina, wearing a black suit, walked out of the proceedings midway through the morning session as she listened to evidence from his colleagues describing signs of stress he was under.

Sapper Craig Butterworth described the bomb disposal expert as an inspiration to the team and a total professional. “Whoever takes his position has some big shoes to fill,” he added.

S/Sgt Schmid had been trying to disarm his third IED of the day when Sapper Butterworth heard a blast and a comrade later shouted: “Oz is dead.”

He told the inquest: “It occurred to me that he was slightly rushed. I could only think that this was because it was his last day before going home for rest and recuperation.”

At one point, while pulling up a suspected IED wire with his hands, he turned to a comrade and said: “Don’t look at me, you did not see this.”

Lance Corporal Steven Fisher suggested that some of his actions on the day had been “out of character”.

L/Cpl Fisher said S/Sgt Schmid was “clearly getting frustrated” and during one exercise heard him tell a colleague: “You have not seen me do this. This is my threat assessment.”

S/Sgt Schmid was in good health but the hearing was told by HM pathologist Nicholas Hunt that he had fainted while he was on duty on September 14.

Born in Truro, S/Sgt Schmid lived in Winchester, Hampshire, with Christina and Laird.

He joined the Army in 1996 and, during the summer before his death, took part in Operation Panther’s Claw, the Army’s major offensive to clear populated areas in central Helmand of Taliban insurgents.

Cornwall Coroner Dr Emma Carlyon adjourned the hearing.

The inquest is due to resume today to hear a second day of evidence.