New memorial headstone for double VC

by Barry Clark, Papanui RSA president

The ashes of Captain Charles Upham VC and Bar are buried in the graveyard of St Paul's Church, next door to Papanui RSA. In recent years, it has become a tradition for a group of our members including young serving soldiers, to form a guard of honour at Captain Upham's grave and after a moment's silent thought, lay their poppies.

A number of our membership and others who visited the grave, particularly on ANZAC Day, had expressed concern at the condition and anonymity of the gravesite. The family plot had a monument to Charles Coates, a priest from the 1800s with six family plaques, including one for Captain Upham and his wife Molly lying on the ground. When the graveyard was mowed, the plaques were run over by the mower.

The Papanui RSA sought, and received permission, from the family to reconfigure the plot and erect an appropriate monument.

We located a large rock from the North Canterbury farm of Alex and Jenny Fergusson which was used as the headstone. We moved the Coates monument to the left and placed the rock beside it, then poured a coloured concrete foundation around both of them. The plaques were cleaned, the lettering repainted and placed on a sloping plinth along the front.

	FIT FOR A HERO: Papanui RSA member Ivan Ward, Waimakariri MP Clayton Cosgrove and Papanui RSA president Barry Clark alongside the refurbished grave site of Captain Charles Upham VC and Bar.

A new pass plaque, recording Charles and Molly Upham's details was struck and placed below a large coloured granite poppy and RSA crest made by Robertson Monumental Masons. Two Lest we Forget roses have been planted at the rear of the plot and members of Papanui RSA carried out the remainder of the work.

Mr Clayton Cosgove, MP for Waimakariri approached the government on our behalf for financial assistance to carry out the project. Through Veterans Affairs New Zealand we received finance to pay for the plaque and granite poppy. Mr Cosgrove and the Papanui RSA Travel Section made donations and RNZRSA covered all remaining costs.

The completed project was unveiled on ANZAC Day by Mr Cosgrove and Captain Upham's daughter Virginia Mackenzie. The memorial is a simple, yet strong monument to mark the resting-place of one of New Zealand's greatest soldiers.