Charles Upham: The Schoolteacher with Two Victoria Crosses and Escaped the Nazis

Welcome back to Bloomin’ Legends! The podcast where we uncover the wildest, most legendary, and unbelievable true stories from history!

In this episode, Johnny Vaughan and Gavin "The Woodman" Woods dive into the jaw-dropping life of Charles Upham, the quiet New Zealand schoolteacher who became the only combat soldier to win the Victoria Cross twice. He took on tanks, leapt walls with a broken arm, and escaped German POW camps like it was a hobby.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🎖️ Double VC Madness – Why Upham’s bravery was so outrageous, they thought it was a typo

💥 One-Man Wrecking Machine – Grenades, ambushes, and battlefield miracles

🪖 Prison Breaks Galore – How he gave the Nazis hell in captivity

🇳🇿 The Most Reluctant Hero – Why he hated fame but became a national legend

Bloomin’ Legend or Not?

At the end of the episode, we decide: Was Charles Upham a true Bloomin’ Legend? Or just a war machine with manners?

🎥 Watch the full episode on Radio X’s YouTube channel!

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📩 Got your own legendary story? Whether epic, absurd, or just plain bonkers, send it to bloominlegends@global.com and we’ll decide if it’s Bloomin’ Legendary or not!

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This is a Global Original podcast, produced by Ben Fairclough.

Executive Producer: Chris Janes