The Other Double VC Recipients
Besides Noel Chavasse, the VC was only awarded twice on two other occasions.
The first of these was Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake who was awarded the VC as a result for his actions in the Boer War in 1902 where he risked his life to treat a soldier who was wounded merely 100 metres from the enemy line. Despite being shot and injured, he continued to treat wounded men. Before he collapsed of exhaustion, he issued an order that those who were wounded should have water before himself.
His second VC was awarded in recognition of his service in Belgium in 1914, where he also risked his life rescuing men whilst under fire from enemy guns. Surviving the war, he died on 22 June 1953.
The second of the other double recipients was Captain Charles Upham who was born in 1908 in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was awarded his first VC for a series of brave acts in May 1941 in Crete. On one occasion, Upham helped carry an injured man whilst under fire. On another, Upham was injured by a mortar shell, but remained on duty. He suffered from dysentery whilst in Crete but did not let the illness impinge on the quality of his service.
His first VC citation included the words:
‘During the operations in Crete this officer performed a series of remarkable exploits, showing outstanding leadership, tactical skill and utter indifference to danger… He showed superb coolness, great skill and dash and complete disregard of danger. His conduct and leadership inspired his whole platoon to fight magnificently throughout, and in fact was an inspiration to the Battalion.’
Upham served in North Africa in 1942 and was awarded a second Victoria Cross for his conduct during the Second Battle of El Alamein. He managed to capture a German position, destroying a tank and a number of vehicles with grenades. His arm was smashed by machine gun fire, but he carried on fighting, only stopping when he became faint through blood loss. Only then did he choose to have his wounds dressed, after which he continued fighting and suffered yet more injuries.
His company was eventually overrun, and he was captured, the VC citation stating he had shown ‘outstanding gallantry’ and ‘magnificent leadership’. During his time as a Prisoner of War, Upham tried to escape several times. He was eventually sent to the Colditz Castle POW camp, from where he was liberated by American forces at the end of the war.
Charles Upham died in New Zealand aged 86 in November 1994.