We have been enjoying reading the recently published biography of Charles Upham VC & Bar. We will endeavour to contribute some reflections and commentary on Searching for Charlie: In Pursuit of the Real Charles Upham VC & Bar, by Tom Scott [Takapuna: Upstart Press, 2020].
One question that immediately intrudes is "why bother". Upham and the Second World War are "old hat" by now. Maybe, but maybe not. There has to be some reason or explanation for Scott's biography racing to the top of the charts almost within hours of its release.
One of the characteristics of Charles was his self-identification as an "ordinary bloke". Consequently when he was interacting with the "high and mighty" he tended to speak to the person as if they were as ordinary as he conceived himself to be. In other words, he addressed people, regardless of who they were, as if they were ordinary sheep farmers working in the back blocks of New Zealand.
This egalitarian view of life displayed by Upham extended even to his view of the Queen.
If her Majesty felt strongly about awarding Charlie a knighthood, she had numerous opportunities over the years to ask Charlie in person to accept one. Every royal tour to New Zealand included Charlie in civic receptions or state banquets, and he and Queen Elizabeth were often seen together locked in animated conversation. Pressed later about these exchanges, Charlie would only say admiringly, "Boy, she knows her horses, that girl." [Searching for Charlie, p.337]We are pretty sure that Charlie Upham would not have intended any hint of disrespect for the Queen. More to the point, his remarks about "that girl" would far more likely indicate a deep and abiding respect for the Queen. It is, we expect, one reason why the overwhelming number of Kiwis would regard Upham to this day as both "an ordinary bloke" and, at the same time, someone to be held in deep respect.
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