Dunedin-born Alfred Hulme won a Victoria Cross (VC) for a series of heroic acts on Crete. A sergeant with 23rd Battalion, he led a series of counter-attacks against German paratroops around Maleme airfield on 20–21 May 1941. Four days later he played a prominent part in the New Zealand counter-attack at Galatas, clearing a dangerous German position with hand grenades. After hearing that his younger brother had been killed, Hulme began hunting down German snipers. On occasions he disguised himself as a German to get close to his targets. Hulme was ruthlessly efficient – he is believed to have killed more than 30 enemy snipers. He also killed the crew of a heavy mortar that was threatening the withdrawal before being seriously wounded.