What did Charles Upham do in the Battle for Crete?

Captain Upham, during the engagement, himself destroyed a German tank and several guns and vehicles with grenades and although he was shot through the elbow by a machine gun bullet and had his arm broken, he went on again to a forward position and brought back some of his men who had become isolated.

Who is New Zealand’s most decorated soldier?

Charles Upham

New Zealand’s most-decorated soldier, Charles Upham, received the first of his two VCs – for outstanding gallantry and leadership during the Battle of Crete in 1941 – from King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

Has anyone won 2 Victoria Crosses?

Only three men have been awarded two Victoria Crosses for bravery since the awards inception in 1857. The double VC winners included Captain Charles Upham, Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake and Captain Noel Chavasse. Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake was a British double recipient of the Victoria Cross.

What happened to Charles Upham medals?

“The medals have been sold to the Imperial War Museum in London and they have in turn loaned the medals to us for a period of 999 years and that is on the wishes of the Upham family,” Major Charlton said.

Has a woman ever won the VC?

Elizabeth Webber Harris (1834–1917) was an English nurse who was awarded a replica Victoria Cross (VC) in 1869, with the permission of Queen Victoria, for her bravery during a cholera outbreak in India. She remains the only woman to be awarded a VC of any description.

Why is Charles Upham special?

Charles Hazlitt Upham is probably New Zealand’s most famous soldier. He became one of only three people ever to win the Victoria Cross twice for his actions in Crete in 1941 and Egypt in 1942. He is the only person to have achieved this as a combat soldier.

Who has the most Victoria Crosses?

Billionaire Lord Ashcroft owns the world’s largest collection of Victoria Crosses – yet he doesn’t know if he has what it takes to win one, the Sunday People reports.

When was Upham captured?

In June and July 1942 Upham again showed tremendous courage leading his men in ferocious actions at Minqâr Qaim and Ruweisat Ridge in the North African desert. At Ruweisat Ridge he was wounded and captured by the Germans.

How many VC winners are still alive?

12 VC holders

Just 12 VC holders are still alive, each of whom also receives £1,495 a year. Today, in Westminster Abbey, the 150th anniversary of the medal’s creation is being marked, on what is in fact the 149th anniversary of the day Queen Victoria first presented it.

Can an American win the Victoria Cross?

The Victoria Cross takes precedence over all other British orders, decorations and medals and may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and although civilians under military command are eligible for the award none has been awarded since 1879.

Who owns most VC?

Lord Ashcroft

Over the past three decades, Lord Ashcroft has purchased more than 180 VCs, making it the largest collection of its kind in the world.

What is the rarest medal in the world?

The Victoria Cross is the ‘holy grail’ for medal collectors because there are only 1,357 in existence. Bearing the inscription ‘For valour’ and known as a VC, this medal was first awarded for ‘conspicuous bravery’ in 1856 and later backdated to the Crimean war of 1854.

When was the last VC won?

The most recent was awarded to Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey of 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment, whose VC was gazetted in February 2015, following an action in Afghanistan on 22 August 2013.

Who won the first VC?

Charles Davis Lucas

Mate Charles Davis Lucas onboard HMS Hecla performed the act which was to earn him the honour as the first winner of the Victoria Cross on 21st June 1854. Whilst attacking the great gun batteries of the Russian fortress at Bomarsund in the Aland Islands, a live shell landed on the deck of the Helca.

How much is a VC medal worth?

Owing to its rarity, the VC is highly prized and the medal has fetched over £400,000 at auctions. A number of public and private collections are devoted to the Victoria Cross. The private collection of Lord Ashcroft, amassed since 1986, contains over one-tenth of all VCs awarded.

What are Victoria Crosses made from?

bronze

The Medal. The Victoria Cross takes the form of a Maltese cross shape medal made of bronze, the obverse of which has as its main feature the Royal Crown surmounted by a standing lion with a ribbon underneath bearing the motto For Valour.

Can a Victoria Cross be taken away?

A Victoria Cross has not been revoked since 1908, and revocations were banned between 1920 and 1991, when Australia’s honours were separated from Britain. Up to 3,000 soldiers could lose of some of their medals, as the whole SAS is expected to be stripped of group citations earned in 2005-2016.

Who won the Victoria Cross in ww2?

In total, 23 servicemen from the Royal Navy were awarded the Victoria Cross including one Royal Marine. Aerial warfare came into its own in World War II with several distinct roles emerging.
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Recipients.

Has anyone refused a Victoria Cross?

A spokesman for auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb said: “Very few men have been refused the Victoria Cross due to the personal intervention of the monarch, and the circumstances of Patrick McGuire’s story must surely make this a unique case. … The Victoria Cross was first awarded to 111 men who fought in Crimea.

Do generals salute Medal of Honor winners?

There is a military tradition that dictates all uniformed members of the service render a salute to Medal of Honor awardees regardless of rank; this is one of the unique customs and courtesies associated with the medal.

Is the Victoria Cross like the Medal of Honor?

While there are many ways in which Britain and the US honour their Armed Forces personnel, the most prestigious must be the awarding of two medals: the Victoria Cross (VC) and the Medal of Honor (MOH.) These are the highest awards for gallantry displayed during combat and are therefore very close equivalents.

Can an American be knighted?

Americans who have been awarded an honorary knighthood or damehood. In the world of entertainment and the arts, Bob Hope became a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1998, while more recently Getty Images co-founder Mark Getty was similarly honoured in 2015.

How many Gurkhas have won the Victoria Cross?

13 Victoria Crosses

The Gurkhas have served with distinction throughout the world for over 200 years, earning an incredible 13 Victoria Crosses (VC), Britain’s highest military honour.