Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham VC & Bar (21 September 1908 – 22 November 1994) was a New Zealand soldier decorated for actions during World War II.

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.

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.

His second Victoria Cross came 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.

Upham is one of three people to be awarded a Victoria Cross twice and the only fighting combatant to do so, the others being medical staff Arthur Martin-Leake and Noel Godfrey Chavasse.

His funeral in the Christchurch Cathedral was conducted with full military honours; and he was buried in the graveyard of St Paul's Anglican Church.

He wasn't a strong child physically, as well as having a slightly shorter leg than the other, leading to a doctor suspecting Upham of having a mild case of poliomyelitis.

Rather shy, not a very good mixer, he would walk over to school with a group of boys, not talking and chaffing with them, but head down and brow furrowed, completely wrapped up in his own thoughts.

[9] Now somewhat of an elder statesman, by virtue of his earlier days at the college and his wide farming experience, Upham became a popular favourite of his fellow students.

As they retreated under German fire, Upham carried a wounded man back to safety and then encouraged several of his men to do likewise.

And while feigning death, he managed to rest his gun on the fork of a tree trunk and as the Germans came close, he opened fire, killing both of them.

By clever tactics, he induced the enemy party to expose itself and then at a range of 500 yards shot twenty-two and caused the remainder to disperse in panic.

[18] For his actions in the Battle of Crete, his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Howard Kippenberger, recommended Upham for the Victoria Cross.

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of awards of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned: — Second Lieutenant Charles Hazlitt Upham (8077), New Zealand Military Forces.

During the operations in Crete this officer performed a series of remarkable exploits, showing outstanding leadership, tactical skill and utter indifference to danger.

In the first case, under a heavy fire from a machine gun nest he advanced to close quarters with pistol and grenades, so demoralizing the occupants that his section was able to "mop up" with ease.

He fell and shammed dead, then crawled into a position and having the use of only one arm rested his rifle in the fork of a tree and as the Germans came forward he killed them both.

By clever tactics he induced the enemy party to expose itself and then at a range of 500 yards shot 22 and caused the remainder to disperse in panic.

[15] The breakout was a success and the New Zealand Division was moved into the defensive line centred on the small railway town of El Alamein.

After awakening, he escaped into a nearby orchard, but the even rows of trees and lack of undergrowth provided poor cover and was soon recaptured.

[37] Colonel Burrows approached Kippenberger after the Minqar Qaim action and was already mooting the nomination for a second VC even before the battle at Ruweisat Ridge and Upham's capture.

Captain C. H. Upham, V.C., was commanding a Company of New Zealand troops in the Western Desert during the operations which culminated in the attack on El Ruweisat Ridge on the night of 14th–15th July, 1942.

In spite of being twice wounded, once when crossing open ground swept by enemy fire to inspect his forward sections guarding our mine-fields and again when he completely destroyed an entire truck load of German soldiers with hand grenades, Captain Upham insisted on remaining with his men to take part in the final assault.

During the opening stages of the attack on the ridge Captain Upham's Company formed part of the reserve battalion, but, when communications with the forward troops broke down and he was instructed to send up an officer to report on the progress of the attack, he went out himself armed with a Spandau gun and, after several sharp encounters with enemy machine gun posts, succeeded in bringing back the required information.

Just before dawn the reserve battalion was ordered forward, but, when it had almost reached its objective, very heavy fire was encountered from a strongly defended enemy locality, consisting of four machine gun posts and a number of tanks.

His voice could be heard above the din of battle cheering on his men and, in spite of the fierce resistance of the enemy and the heavy casualties on both sides, the objective was captured.

He continued to dominate the situation until his men had beaten off a violent enemy counter-attack and consolidated the vital position which they had won under his inspiring leadership.

The previous recipients were Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Martin-Leake and Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse, both doctors serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

[53] On 16 February 2008, the 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.

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