Truro mourns a local hero
THE CITY centre of Truro stood still and the Cathedral was full to overflowing as the people of Cornwall, and military colleagues from beyond, paid tribute to a soldier described as “an Emperor amongst men” yesterday.
There were almost a thousand inside the Cathedral and many more lining the streets outside to pay respect to Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, who died on October 31 while defusing his 65th roadside bomb on the penultimate day of his tour of duty in Afghanistan.
-
Four soldiers and two Royal Marines, their heads bare and led by a lone piper, carried his coffin into the cathedral where, as a young boy, he had been head chorister.
They were followed by his widow, Christina, proudly wearing his medals and his mother Barbara.
His brother Torben and step brother Greg followed with their wives,
with Torben’s wife Debbie and their baby daughter Agnes, born just four
weeks before Olaf was killed.
They entered a cathedral packed with both service personnel, some of
whom had known Olaf, and members of the public from Truro and beyond,
many of whom had known Olaf as a young chorister and as a pupil at both
Polwhele and Penair schools.
The music was beautiful and uplifting, from the cathedral choir under
director of music Christopher Gray to the army buglers from 2 Rifles
who filled the whole building with the heart rending High on the Hill
as the coffin and family left the service.
Outside there was an eight gun salute as the family and friends got in
their cars for the last journey out of Truro to Penmount Crematorium.
Olaf’s remarkable widow Christina (pictured above) stood beside his coffin to describe Olaf as a “warrior, our protector not destroyers.”
The congregation burst into spontaneous applause as she said: “Olaf
lived and stood for something he believed in. And in the end he paid
the ultimate sacrifice for those beliefs.
“We now have a duty to not just honour what he stood for, but to live lives which honour the sacrifice he made.”
Lt-Colonel Robert Thomson, who worked with “Oz” in Afghanistan this
summer said he was “simply the bravest and most courageous man I have
ever met.”
Telling how he had seen him clear the most devious and difficult enemy
minefields, Lt-Colonel Thomson said: “Oz was literally one in a
million. He stood taller than the tallest."
See tomorrow's West Briton for 2 pages of related articles.
5 Comments
by Nick, Kernow
Thursday, November 26 2009, 12:05PM
“David Whyte, please read the words of his courageous widow and then think about your comments. This is about a truly brave individual, please don't degrade his memory with politics.
Our thoughts are with the Family, friends and colleagues.”
by David Whyte, Cornwall
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 6:26PM
“R. Pittam, St Ives:
I think you will find that the "pro-war" brigade have dominated the 'discussion' for far too long. How many more will die for these wars instigated by Bush and Blair? Lets bring them all home to their families, before more are killed. Was nothing learned from the long occupation of Ireland?”
by TimV, Pz
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 6:03PM
“Proof, if proof were ever needed, that in this world of glitter and false celebrity, age-old values of valour and self-sacrifice, have the power to pull at the heart strings like nothing else. "What greater love, than a man lay down his life for his friends?"”
by R. Pittam, St Ives
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 2:07PM
“Innapropriate, careless and undignified to have some character off the street dominating this clip with his own negative comments. Do the soldiers think they are wasting their time? Did Olaf Schmidt think he was wasting his time? Those would be opinions worth hearing.
Please respect the dignity of a brave man and his family.”
by Irish Dave, Leedstown
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 2:49PM
“A brave man who willingly risked his life on a frequent basis. I am very impressed with the courage of his widow as well in marking his memory.”