Charles Upham Views

Books

Charles Hazlitt Upham was born in Christchurch on the 21st of September 1908. He enlisted in the 20th Canterbury – Otago battalion in September 1939. In December 1939 he sailed to Egypt. In November 1940 he made 2nd lieutenant and in May 1941, in the battle of Crete, he got shot. He won his 1st Victoria Cross on Crete. The Victoria Cross is the Commonwealthp’s highest award for bravery. Charles Upham won two Victoria Crosses. He won his 2nd in the battle of Minqar Qaim, where he was taken prisoner after being wounded and unable to move. Charles Upham was a natural soldier because he was fit and knew how to hunt. Charles Upham was described as a reluctant hero because he thought other soliders were just as brave as him.

Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham VC and Bar (21 September 1908 – 22 November 1994) was a New Zealand soldier who earned the Victoria Cross twice during the Second World War: in Crete in May 1941, and at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, in July 1942. He was only the third person to receive the VC twice, the only person to receive two VCs during the Second World War and the only combat soldier to receive the award twice. As a result, Upham is often described as the most highly decorated Commonwealth soldier of that war, as the VC is the Commonwealth's highest award for extreme gallantry in the face of the enemy.[5]

Acknowledged widely as the outstanding soldier of the Second World War, Captain Charles Upham is the only combatant soldier to receive the Victoria Cross and Bar (awarded to members of the armed forces of the Commonwealth for exceptional bravery). In Crete in May 1941 and the Western Desert in July 1942 Upham distinguished himself with displays of 'nerveless competence'. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1908 Upham was educated at Christ's College and Canterbury Agricultural College at Lincoln. Prior to the war he was a farm manager and then farm valuer before enlisting in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (aged 30) in 1939, quietly citing his reason as a desire to fight for justice.

Epitomising a certain strain of Kiwi modesty, Charles Upham was embarrassed by the accolades he received and attempted to avoid international media attention. When the people of Canterbury collected and offered him 10,000 pounds to purchase a farm in recognition of his gallantry, Upham refused and instead insisted the money be put towards an educational scholarship for children of returned soldiers.