"Sergeant
Hulme exhibited most outstanding and inspiring qualities of leadership,
initiative, skill, endurance, and most conspicuous gallantry and
devotion to duty from the commencement of the heavy fighting in Crete,
on 20th May, 1941, until he was wounded in action 28th May, 1941. On
ground overlooking Maleme Aerodrome on 20th and 21st May he personally
led parties of his men from the area held by the forward position and
destroyed enemy organized parties who had established themselves out in
front of our position, from which they brought heavy rifle, machine-gun
and mortar fire to bear on our defensive posts. Numerous snipers in the
area were dealt with by Sergeant Hulme personally; 130 dead were counted
here. On 22nd, 23rd and 24th May, Sergeant Hulme was continually going
out alone or with one or two men and destroying enemy snipers. On 25th
May, when Sergeant Hulme had rejoined his battalion, this unit
counter-attacked Galatos Village. The attack was partially held up by a
large party of the enemy holding the school, from which they were
inflicting heavy casualties on our troops. Sergeant Hulme went forward
alone, threw grenades into the school and so disorganized the defense,
that the counter-attack was able to proceed successfully. On Tuesday, 27th May, when our troops were holding a defensive
line at Suda Bay during the final retirement, five enemy snipers had
worked into position on the hillside overlooking the flank of the
Battalion line. Sergeant Hulme volunteered to deal with the situation,
and stalked and killed the snipers in turn. He continued similar work
successfully through the day. On 28th May at Stylos, when an enemy heavy mortar was severely bombing a
very important ridge held by the Battalion rearguard troops, inflicting
severe casualties, Sergeant Hulme, on his own initiative, penetrated
the enemy lines, killed the mortar crew of four, put the mortar out of
action, and thus very materially assisted the withdrawal of the main
body through Stylos. From the enemy mortar position he then worked onto
the left flank and killed three snipers who were causing concern to the
rearguard. This made his score of enemy snipers 33 stalked and shot.
Shortly afterwards Sergeant Hulme was severely wounded in the shoulder
while stalking another sniper. When ordered to the rear, in spite of his
wound, he directed traffic under fire and organized stragglers of
various units into section groups."
From Sgt. Hulme's Victoria Cross citation, awarded on 10 October 1941.
May you be at peace,
Brian
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