V.C. WINNER PROTESTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 18, 18 February 1942, Page 5

V.C. WINNER PROTESTS

ALLEGATIONS ABOUT ARMY DISCHARGE DESIRE TO' SERVE One of the most indignant men in New Zealand to-day is Sergeant A. G. Hulme,/ V.C.. who is at present receiving reatment for Avar wounds at the Sanatorium, Rotorua. In an interview he recalled that when he had received his award a. newspaper had written an editorial stating that his future military career, would be watched with interest. Now people would be interested to know that he had been discharged from the army as the latter had no further use for an experienced man* s Sergeant Hulme stated that he had been medically boarded and advised by the doctor that he was lA, which* meant that he would be fit for military service after a short convalescence . X When he was home in Nelson district recently, in order to see thatu. his eye was still "in," he hit a fourinch nail with a .303 calibre rifle at a range o-f 45 yards. He stated that he had c.nly one interest above his home, and that was to be in the army, but in spite , of all that he had been promised by the Government and officials, he was thrown out for no apparent reason. He added that if that was all he* was worth, he might as well -be dropped in the nearest hot poel. To use his own words, Sergeant Hulme said he had been "led up a: gum tree" which had been cut from under him. He wanted to know why so much money was being spent in making unfit men fit while fit men . experienced in warfare and willing to serve their country were thrown, out.