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New Zealand VC winner accused of war crimes

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  • New Zealand VC winner accused of war crimes

    Fury over attack on father's war service

    10.04.2006
    By Paul Dykes

    When war is on, war is on - and you do what you have to do."

    That's the angry response today from Anita Hulme of Te Puke to an unexpected attack on the integrity of her war hero father Alfred Clive Hulme VC.

    Massey University historian Glyn Harper accuses her father of "perfidy" (meaning betrayal, double-cross) in his soon-to-be-released book In the Face of the Enemy because Clive Hulme wore part of a German uniform to get close enough to kill enemy soldiers in World War 2.

    "They have really dragged things up," Anita Hulme said from her home this morning. "It's awful what they have done," Ms Hulme said.




    "It's so upsetting. War is war," she added.

    Mr Hulme was awarded the Victoria Cross in October 1941, and was afforded a hero's welcome on return to his home town of Nelson.

    Ms Hulme is the sole surviving family member of Clive Hulme, her brother Denny Hulme - world Formula 1 racing champion in 1967 - died of a heart attack while driving in the Bathurst 1000 in 1992, aged 56. Her mother Rona died nine years ago.

    She said she had been called "out of the blue" by the book author and asked if she knew her father wore a German uniform during the war. When she said she did know, the caller was stunned and queried: "Is he still a hero in your eyes?"

    "I said 'yes'," Ms Hulme recalled.

    "When war is on, war is on, and you do what you have to do."

    She was also annoyed that a Sunday newspaper article said she had enjoyed listening to her father's war stories, because this was not true.

    "The guy's misquoted me saying I enjoyed hearing his stories. Dad never spoke about the war - just the one time. I was just a child. I know nothing about the war. My dad only once ever talked to me about the war.

    "This has just shattered me."

    She has received an invitation to attend the book launch at Waiouru Museum on Wednesday, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the instigation of the Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria and she was having second thoughts about attending.

    "They have done everything they can to say horrible things about him," she said.

    "Mum and I went to the 50th reunion of the Crete battle in 1991 and we were treated like royalty. It was a wonderful occasion, and it was obvious what they (the locals) thought of New Zealanders.

    Ms Hulme said the family had moved to Te Puke 62 years ago from Nelson, when she was aged four, because her father could not get work.

    In the book, Massey University historian Glyn Harper says Hulme's actions during the Battle of Crete in 1941 amounted to "acts of perfidy" under international law.

    There was no doubt that Mr Hulme deserved to be decorated, Mr Harper had added, but the use of a disguise was unacceptable.

    Peter Wills, deputy director of Auckland University's Centre for Peace Studies, told the Sunday-Star Times that Mr Hulme's actions were "unsanctioned murder" and New Zealand should track down the families of his German victims and apologise to them.

    Another academic, Auckland University associate professor of law Bill Hodge, said killing enemy soldiers while wearing their uniform was "prima facie a war crime", often punishable by death if detected on the battlefield.

    The book, which Mr Harper co-authored with Colin Richardson, says Mr Hulme wore a German paratrooper's smock and killed 33 German snipers and other German soldiers during the Battle of Crete.

    The newspaper reported Anita Hulme as saying her family was well aware her father had worn a German paratroopers' smock during an operation as a way of infiltrating the enemy.

    "I didn't know it was against the rules of war. I don't think it's an issue - you do what you need to to survive, don't you?" Ms Hulme said.
    From here

    IIRC the incident involving the smock was where his unit was pinned down by a nest of snipers. He donned the smock, crept behind them and climbed into the nest pretending to be another German and shot them with his revolver. Personally I think the authors can go get ****ed, but what do you guys, especially Servicemen, think?
    In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

    Leibniz

  • #2
    He took a big risk, I'd call him a hero. Good for him.
    No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
    I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
    even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
    He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

    Comment


    • #3
      "Don't talk about atrocties, all war is a atrocity."~ Lord Kitchener.
      I doubt a unit fighting for its life, would really care.
      "Any relations in a social order will endure if there is infused into them some of that spirit of human sympathy, which qualifies life for immortality." ~ George William Russell

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by sparten
        "Don't talk about atrocties, all war is a atrocity."~ Lord Kitchener.
        I doubt a unit fighting for its life, would really care.
        And lets get some persepctive, even if you call it a "crime", this was nothing, in the bloodiest conflict in human history.
        "Any relations in a social order will endure if there is infused into them some of that spirit of human sympathy, which qualifies life for immortality." ~ George William Russell

        Comment


        • #5
          Short Film On Kiwi Hulme

          Hey all,

          Here is a little 4 minute film I just made on Hulme.

          Is the 1st part of a series of short stories on kiwis fighting in Crete.

          Check it out:



          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsqV_ziboHw

          Cheers


          Logan
          Last edited by LoganGorilla; 02 Dec 09,, 08:37.

          Comment


          • #6
            Technically, Professor Harper is correct. Those who fought when wearing enemy uniform or under false color with the intention to decieve are indeed violating international law. They could be executed on the spot and were. The Germans did it to the Allies and the Allies did it to the Germans... it's all very fair and reciprocal.
            All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
            -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

            Comment


            • #7
              These bloody smart arsed academics make my blood boil! Track down the German soldiers families and apologise indeed ... the German paratroopers were the vangard for a tyrannical regime that was busy conquering and murdering its way around Europe and Africa! Hulme wearing one of their uniforms to sneak up and knock a few of them off before they could do the same to him and his mates pales by comparison. Like Triple C said, he did it knowing the potential consequences and good on him I say. For the life of me I can't see how it is any less "fair" than dropping an artillery round on an enemies head from 10 miles away.
              "There is no such thing as society" - Margaret Thatcher

              Comment


              • #8
                Glyn Harper's head is so far up his ass his bald spot is tickling his tongue. Indignant self-righteous kinda guy, ain't he? Probably boos during The Guns of Navarone.

                Prof

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Triple C View Post
                  Technically, Professor Harper is correct. Those who fought when wearing enemy uniform or under false color with the intention to decieve are indeed violating international law. They could be executed on the spot and were. The Germans did it to the Allies and the Allies did it to the Germans... it's all very fair and reciprocal.
                  Indeed. I don't see what the hooplah is about. The Germans had Operation Greif, in which some of its members were captured and executed; the Germans returned the favor to Allies who did the same. According to the so-called "laws of war", this is an acceptable thing.

                  As far as war crimes go, there hasn't been an army in history that has been completely untainted, so it's silly to pretend that there is.
                  "The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So wake up, Mr. Freeman. Wake up and smell the ashes." G-Man

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    He was 30 years old and a Sergeant in the 23rd Battalion, (The Canterbury Regiment) 5th Brigade, 2nd Division, 2NZEF during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

                    During the period 20/28 May 1941 in Crete, Greece, Sergeant Hulme displayed outstanding leadership and courage. At Maleme he led a party against the enemy who were attacking with rifles, machine-guns and mortars. At Galatos he drove the enemy away from a school building with hand grenades (where he disguised himself as a German paratrooper). At Suda Bay he killed five snipers and at Styles he wiped out a mortar crew and accounted for three more snipers.

                    A true war hero...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by leib10 View Post
                      Indeed. I don't see what the hooplah is about. The Germans had Operation Greif, in which some of its members were captured and executed; the Germans returned the favor to Allies who did the same. According to the so-called "laws of war", this is an acceptable thing.
                      The Brandenburger commandos pulled off many big ones wearing enemy uniform and on numerous occasions during the Battle of the Bulge the Germans led their armor columns with a captured Sherman tank to deceive the defenders. The American 83rd Division tried to rush a bridge wearing German uniforms once. This hullabaloo should be dismissed with a shrug. Why so serious? :))
                      All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
                      -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Would this be the same German Parachute regiment, that went into Holland at the begining of the the war. dressed as Dutch Policemen, to capture vital bridges for the main Armoured Advance?

                        Don´t be so Hypocritical.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Yes. They capture bridges in enemy uniforms. That seems to be their specialty. But they weren't paratroopers and it was no bigger than battalion-sized until later in the war. They had parachute training but paratroopers proper (division sized units) were Kurt Student's men.

                          If you didn't machine-gun POWs or burn civies alive, I don't think minor "infractions" like "perfidy" in this case really is worth prosecuting or condemning.
                          Last edited by Triple C; 13 Jan 10,, 04:15. Reason: Research proved me wrong.
                          All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
                          -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Another wanker hippy, who is trying to prove his manhood by trashing the service of a hero.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Whoa, this thread has been necro'd twice since inception.

                              Gotta be a record!

                              Seriously, didn't some soldier once said his definition of fair means all his fellow soldiers come home alive and screw the others?

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