Hulme, Herbert Henry - Private

(No soldier photo available)

1st. (Airborne) Bn.

Border Regiment

Died 10 July 1943

Age 24

Private Herbert Hulme was a member of the airborne force taking part in the invasion of Sicily from Tunisia on the night of 9/10 July 1943. As the Dakota planes towing the Waco gliders bearing the troops of the Border Regiment neared the coast, a combination of bad weather, intense darkness, anti-aircraft fire and the inexperience of the Dakota's American pilots, caused many of the gliders to be released too early. The result was that over 60 per cent landed in the sea, causing the deaths of over 120 men. Herbert was one of these men.

Herbert was the son of Robert and Hilda Hulme and the husband of Ellen Mary. He was aged 24.

Herbert lies in Syracuse War Cemetery,Sicily.

It is three kilometres west of the city. The majority of the men buried in the cemetery died during the landings or in the early stages of the campaign. Many graves are of men of the airborne forces, such as Herbert, who lost their lives in the attempted landings or over the sea. The cemetery contains 1,059 Commonwealth burials, 134 of which are unidentified. Herbert's grave is in Plot 2, Row F, Grave 5.