[7] Hulme's battalion was only in Egypt for a brief time before it was moved to Greece, along with the rest of the 2nd New Zealand Division, in anticipation of an invasion by German forces.

[8] Following the commencement of the Battle of Greece, the 23rd Battalion did not encounter enemy action until 16 April, when German infantry began to probe its defences at the Olympus Pass.

Afterwards, while clearing the town, he threw a grenade into a cellar that he believed was occupied by German soldiers; it transpired that it sheltered several Cretan villagers.

[13][14] The next day, he was advised of the death of his brother, Harold Charles Hulme (18 May 1914 – 26 May 1941), killed while also fighting in Crete with the 19th Battalion.

As the 23rd Battalion began retreating from Galatas, Hulme stayed behind in a position to snipe at an advancing patrol, killing three soldiers.

When they reached Stylos after an overnight march, it was discovered that a group of Germans were advancing to a nearby ridge overlooking the battalion.

[13][15] On 28 May, German snipers infiltrated the New Zealanders' position and opened fire on a conference of senior officers at the headquarters of the 5th Infantry Brigade.

Hulme volunteered to deal with them and, with his company commander observing through field glasses, successfully eliminated a party of five snipers while wearing the camouflage smock that he had acquired earlier in the battle.

[13] For Hulme's actions on Crete, his battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Leckie, recommended him for the Victoria Cross (VC).

[13] The citation for his VC, published in the London Gazette dated 10 October 1941, read: Serjeant 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 organised 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.

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.

[13][Note 1] Hulme was declared medically unfit in February 1942 and discharged from the 2NZEF,[1] much to his displeasure as he was keen to resume his war service.

[1] After the war he lived at Pongakawa, near Te Puke, running a cartage company and becoming involved with water divining and oil prospecting.

[1] His son, Denny Hulme, was active in motorsports, winning several Grands Prix and becoming the Formula One World Champion in 1967.

[22] Hulme's VC remains in the ownership of his family, but in 1999 it was loaned to the National Army Museum in Waiouru, for display for ten years.

On 16 February 2008, New Zealand Police announced all the medals had been recovered as a result of a NZ$300,000 reward offered by Michael Ashcroft and Tom Sturgess.

Military historians Glyn Harper and Colin Richardson, in their 2007 book covering New Zealand recipients of the VC, noted that this was against the rules of war.