Charles Upham

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Charles Hazlitt Upham (21 September 1908 – 22 November 1994) was a New Zealand soldier during the Second World War. He is one of three people to be awarded a Victoria Cross (VC) twice and the only fighting combatant to be so honoured, the others being doctors Arthur Martin-Leake and Noel Godfrey Chavasse. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, he attended Christ's College and later the Canterbury Agricultural College, where he earned a diploma in agriculture. Before the outbreak of the war, Upham worked as a sheep farmer and a manager of a high country station and later at the Government Valuation Department. In 1939, with the advent of war, he enlisted in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, where he quickly rose through the ranks, from private to officer. Upham's first Victoria Cross was awarded for his actions in the Battle of Crete in May 1941, where he displayed remarkable courage and leadership under fire. Despite being wounded, he led multiple attacks against enemy positions and helped evacuate wounded soldiers. His second was from his actions during the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942, where once again he demonstrated bravery and resilience in the face of intense enemy fire, despite being severely wounded. After the war, Upham returned to New Zealand, where he continued to farm and became involved in veterans' affairs. He famously rejected offers of financial assistance, preferring to live a quiet life dedicated to his family and community. He died on 22 November 1994 at the age of 86. A state funeral in Christchurch Cathedral on 25 November 1994 was conducted with full military honours, and he was buried in the graveyard of St Paul's Anglican Church.