Charles Upham

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For the U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, see Charles Wentworth Upham.
Charles Hazlitt Upham
September 21, 1908 - November 22, 1994
Image:VCCharlesHazlittUpham.jpg
Charles Upham in field uniform
Nickname Pug[1]
Place of birth Christchurch, New Zealand
Place of death Christchurch, New Zealand
Allegiance Commonwealth
Service/branch 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
HQ 4 Infantry Brigade
20th Battalion
Rank Captain
Battles/wars Battle of Greece
Battle of Crete
North Africa
Awards Victoria Cross and Bar
1939-1945 Star
Africa Star
Defence Medal
War Medal + MiD Oakleaf
New Zealand War Service Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
New Zealand Commemorative Medal[2][3]
Other work Farmer

Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham, VC and Bar (September 21, 1908 – November 22, 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 (the other dual recipients, Arthur Martin-Leake and Noel Godfrey Chavasse, both served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in the First World War).

Contents

[edit] Early life

Upham was born in Christchurch on 21 September 1908, the son of John Hazlitt Upham, a lawyer, and his wife, Agatha Mary Coates. He boarded at Waihi School, Winchester, South Canterbury, between 1917 and 1922 and at Christ's College, Christchurch, from 1923-27. He attended Canterbury Agricultural College (presently known as Lincoln University) where he earned a diploma in agriculture in 1930.[1]

He worked first as a sheep farmer, later as manager, and then as farm valuer for the New Zealand government. In 1937 he joined the Valuation Department as assistant district valuer in Timaru, and the following year he became engaged to Mary (Molly) Eileen McTamney (a distant relative of Noel Chavasse, VC and Bar). In 1939 he returned to Lincoln to complete a diploma in valuation and farm management.

Upham enlisted in the 2nd NZ Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) at the age of 30 in September 1939 and was posted to the 20th Canterbury–Otago Battalion.[1] He was promoted to temporary Lance Corporal, but initially declined a place in an Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU). In December he was promoted to Sergeant and a week later sailed for Egypt. In July 1940 he was finally persuaded to join an OCTU.

[edit] First VC

In March 1941 Upham's battalion left for Greece and then withdrew to Crete, and it was here that he was wounded in the action — from 22-30 May 1941 — that gained him his first VC. When informed of the award, his first response was: "It's meant for the men."[4]

The award citation declared that he displayed outstanding gallantry in close-quarter fighting, and was twice hit by mortar shrapnel and badly wounded. In spite of this and an attack of dysentery which reduced him to a skeletal appearance, he refused hospital treatment and carried a badly wounded man to safety when forced to retire. Eight days later he fended off an attack at Sphakia, 22 German soldiers falling to his fire.

[edit] Second VC

Upham was evacuated to Egypt, now promoted to Captain. He received a Bar to his VC for his actions on 14-15 July 1942.

When leading his company attacking an enemy-held ridge overlooking the El Alamein battlefield, he was wounded twice but took the objective after fierce fighting. He destroyed a German tank, several guns and vehicles with grenades. A machinegun bullet through the elbow shattered Upham's arm, but he went on again to a forward position and brought back some of his men who had become isolated.

[edit] POW in Colditz Castle

After his wounds were dressed, he returned to his men but was again severely wounded and unable to move. He was eventually overrun by the superior weight of the enemy forces and taken prisoner of war (POW). While in captivity, he was sent to an Italian hospital to recuperate but attempted to escape numerous times before being branded "dangerous" by the Germans and incarcerated in the infamous Oflag IV-C (Colditz) on October 14, 1944.

A group of 11 NZ VC Holders. From left: Back Row: Col L.W. Andrew, Maj R.S. Judson, Pte J.D. Crichton, Lt H.J. Laurent, Lt C.R.G. Bassett. Front row: Sgt J.D. Hinton, Lt K. Elliott, Capt C.H. Upham, Sgt A.C. Hulme, Capt S. Frickleton, Lt J.G. Grant. From the QEII Army Memorial Museum
A group of 11 NZ VC Holders. From left: Back Row: Col L.W. Andrew, Maj R.S. Judson, Pte J.D. Crichton, Lt H.J. Laurent, Lt C.R.G. Bassett. Front row: Sgt J.D. Hinton, Lt K. Elliott, Capt C.H. Upham, Sgt A.C. Hulme, Capt S. Frickleton, Lt J.G. Grant. From the QEII Army Memorial Museum

One attempted escape occurred when a group of POWs were being transported in open trucks through Italy. Upham jumped from the truck at a bend and managed to get 400 yards (370 m) away before being recaptured. He had broken an ankle in jumping from the moving truck.

[edit] Aftermath

When Colditz was liberated by American forces, most of the inmates made their own way home immediately. Upham broke into a German armoury, helped himself to weaponry, and went out hunting Germans. Upham was keen to see action again, but was instead sent to Britain where he was reunited with Molly McTamney, who was then serving as a nurse. They were married at New Milton, Hampshire, on 20 June 1945. He returned to NZ in early September, and Molly followed him in December.

King George VI had invested Upham with his first Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace on 11 May 1945. When the recommendation was made for a second VC, the King remarked to Major-General Howard Kippenberger that a bar to the cross would be "very unusual indeed" and inquired firmly: "Does he deserve it?" Kippenberger replied:

“ In my respectful opinion, sir, Upham won the VC several times over[5] ”

[edit] Post war

Charles Upham's gravestone - Photo by Terry Macdonald
Charles Upham's gravestone - Photo by Terry Macdonald

After the war Upham returned to NZ, and the community raised £10,000 to buy him a farm. However, he declined and the money went into the C. H. Upham Scholarship for children of ex-servicemen to study at Lincoln College or the University of Canterbury.[5]

He obtained a war rehabilitation loan and bought a farm on Conway Flat, Hundalee, North Canterbury. It is said that for the remainder of his life, Upham would allow no German car on to his property.[1]

Although somewhat hampered by his injuries, he became a successful farmer and served on the board of governors of Christ’s College for nearly 20 years. He and Molly had three daughters, and lived on their farm until January 1994, when Upham's poor health forced them to retire to Christchurch. He died there on 22 November 1994, survived by Molly and his daughters. His funeral was conducted with full military honours and he was buried in the graveyard of St Paul's Church Papanui.

A bronze statue stands outside the Hurunui District Council buildings in Amberley, North Canterbury, depicting Charles Upham "the observer".[6]

His VC and Bar was on display at the QEII Army Memorial Museum, Waiouru until its theft in December 2007. In November 2006 the medals had been sold by Upham's daughters to the Imperial War Museum for an undisclosed sum.[7] However, as NZ legislation prohibits the export of such historic items, the Imperial War Museum agreed to a permanent loan of the medals to the Waiouru Army Museum.[3] On December 2, 2007, Upham's VC was among nine stolen from locked, reinforced glass cabinets at the Museum.[8] On 16 February 2008 New Zealand Police announced all the medals had been recovered as a result of a NZ$300,000 reward offered by Michael Ashcroft and Tom Sturgess.[9]

[edit] Memorials

  • There is a street in suburban Christchurch named Charles Upham Avenue.
  • HMNZS Charles Upham, a Royal New Zealand Navy ship, was commissioned in 1995, and decommissioned in 1998.
  • As a tribute to Charles Upham, NZ heavy metal band Subtract wrote and released a song titled "Mark of the Lion".[10]
  • In late 2006 it was announced that a film portraying the life of Upham was to be made, provisionally titled Upham - Mark of the Lion.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Charles Upham. nzedge.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  2. ^ Stewart, Iain. List of Upham's medals. The History of the Victoria Cross. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  3. ^ a b Stewart, Iain. Photograph of Upham's Medals. The History of the Victoria Cross. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  4. ^ Sandford, Mark of the Lion, p.146
  5. ^ a b Sandford, Mark of the Lion, pp.366-381
  6. ^ Captain Charles Upham VC and Bar 1908 - 1994. Hurunui District Council. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  7. ^ Cheng, Derek (4 July 2007). "Medal elevates winner to highest pinnacle". The New Zealand Herald. 
  8. ^ Army medal theft 'insult' to our nation's heritage. New Zealand Herald. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
  9. ^ Stolen War Medals Recovered
  10. ^ Stott, Patrick. Subtract - Formula One. Blastwave.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.

[edit] References

  • Sandford, Kenneth [1962] (1990). Mark of the Lion: The Story of Capt. Charles Upham, V.C. and Bar. London: Arrow. ISBN 0099644304. 

[edit] See also

[edit] External links