SILENCED ONE BY ONE

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 95, 24 October 1941, Page 4

SILENCED ONE BY ONE

Three Machinegun

Nests

LONG SERIES OF BRAVE ACTIONS :

“During operations in Crete,’’ states the citation published in the London Gazette, “Second-Lieutcfn-ant Upham performed a series of remarkable exploits, showing outstanding leadership, tactical skill, and utter indifference to danger. He commanded a forward platoon in the attack on Malemi on May 22 and fought his way forward over 3000 yards, unsupported by any other arms and against a defence strongly organized in depth. During this operation his platoon destroyed numerous enemy posts, but on three occasions the sections were temporarily held up. •

“In the first case, under heavy fire from a machinegun nest, he advanced to close quarters with pistol and grenades, so demoralizing the occupants that his section was able to mop up with ease. Another of his sections was then held up by two machine-

guns in a house. Upham went in and ■placed grenades through a window, destroying the crow of one machinegun and several others, the other machinegun being silenced by the fire of his section. In a third case he crawled within 15 yards of a machinegun post and killed gunners with a grenade. - ..

“When his company withdrew from Malemi, Upham helped to carry wounded men out under fire, and, together with another officer, rallied more men together to carry other wounded men out.”-

Isolated Company Saved.

His next, action cited is an epic of bravery and initiative.

“He was sent to bring in a company which had become isolated.

With a corporal he went through enemy territory extending more than 600 yards, killing two Germans on the way. He found the company and brought it back to the battalion’s new position. But for this action it would have been

completely cut off.

“During the following two days Upham’s platoon occupied an exposed position on forward slopes and was continuously under fire. Upham was blown over by one mortar shell and painfully .wounded behind the left shoulder by a piece of shrapnel. He also received a bullet in the foot, which was later removed in Egypt.”

With the retirement of the British forces Upham did not cease to carry out brave exploits. “At Galatos on May 25 his platoon was heavily en-

gaged, when the troops in front gave way and came under a severe mortar and machinegun fire. While the platoon stopped under cover of a ridge Upham went forward, observed the enemy, and brought up a platoon when the Germans advanced. They killed more than 40 Germans with fire and grenades, forcing the remainder to fall back. When the platoon was ordered to retire Upham sent it back under a platoon sergeant, and Upham went back to warn other troops that they were being cut off.

“When he came out himself, he

was fired on by two Germans. He fell and shammed' dead, then crawled into position and, having use of only one arm, rested his rille in the fork of a tree. As the Germans came forward he killed both. The second German actually hit the muzzle of the rifle as

lie fell.

Again, at Spakia, Upham added a further brilliant episode to his already long series of deeds of bravery. “On May 13 at Spakia his platoon had been ordered to deal with a party of the enemy -which had advanced down a ravine to near the headquarters' of the force. Though exhausted, Upham climbed a steep hill to the west of the ravine, placed his men in position bn a slope overlooking the ravine, and himself went to the top with a Bren gun and two riflemen.

“By clever tactics he induced the enemy party to expose itself, then, at a range of 500 yards, shot 22, causing rhe remainder to disperse in panic.

"During the whole of the operations he suffered from dysentery, and was able to eat very little, in addition to being wounded and bruised. He showed superb coolness, great skill and dash, and a complete disregard of danger. His conduct and leadership inspired the whole, platoon . to fight magnificently throughout and, in fact, was an inspiration to the whole battalion.”

Sergeant Hulme was known in Nel son as an amateur wrestler of some ability, and both he and the brother killed in Crete often appeared in curtain-raisers to professional bouts. This experience stood him in good stead one day in Crete when,, on being machine-gunned from the air, he dived behind a large olive tree. As he arrived a German who had been sniping from the tree dropped to the ground behind him. The German had dropped his Tommy gun, so the two wrestled it, out. The New Zealander saw the German open one of the many zip fastened pockets in his uniform and guessed he was trying to reach his pistol. Hulme caught him by the wrist and twisted his arm round, the German eventually being forced to pull the trigger on himself.