Charles Hazlitt Upham

Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham was a New Zealand soldier during the Second World War. He is celebrated as one of only three people in history to be awarded the Victoria Cross twice, and stands as the only combat soldier to receive this double honor, as the other two recipients were medical officers.

Upham earned his first Victoria Cross for outstanding gallantry and leadership during the Battle of Crete in May 1941. His second Victoria Cross, awarded as a Bar, was earned for his extraordinary actions at Ruweisat Ridge in Egypt during the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942, where he was severely wounded and subsequently captured by Axis forces.

Throughout his service in the Western Desert and Crete, Upham demonstrated supreme bravery, tactical skill, and an utter disregard for his own safety. In addition to his Victoria Cross and Bar, Upham was Mentioned in Despatches and honored by Greece with the Order of Honour, securing his legacy as one of the most highly decorated commonwealth soldiers of the war.