Description:
James Upton VC was born in Lincoln, moving to Nottingham aged around 11. He married Mary Jane Chambers. He moved to London but not with his family. There was also a reception in Lincoln for him and another VC called Keyworth (possibly on the mayor's left).
This was probably taken at the Civic Reception in 1915 in Nottingham. 'James Upton has the distinction of being the first man from Nottingham to win the Victoria Cross. He was born in the Meadows on the 3rd May 1888, being educated locally before taking employment as a labourer at Mr. W. Rigley's Wagon Works at Bulwell. He enlisted into the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment on the 24th July 1906 and after training was posted to India where he served for five years. The Upton family had a long tradition of military service and three of his brothers were already serving in India, one of whom was later killed. On the 4th November 1914, after the outbreak of the First World War, Upton was sent to France with the Regiment and was soon heavily engaged in the fighting. He was to win his Victoria Cross on the 9th May 1915, at Rouges Bancs, France. The Citation read: 'For the most conspicuous bravery near Rouges Bancs on the 9th May 1915. During the whole day Corporal Upton displayed the greatest courage in rescuing the wounded while exposed to heavy rifle and artillery fire, going close to the enemy's parapet, regardless of his own personal safety. One wounded man was killed by a shell while this non commissioned officer was carrying him. When Corporal Upton was not actually carrying in the wounded he was engaged in bandaging and dressing various cases in front of our parapet, exposed to the enemy's fire.' The award was Gazette on the 29th July 1915 He was decorated by King George V at Windsor Castle on the 24th July 1915. He was also given a civic reception in Nottingham where the Mayor presented him with an illuminated address and a purse of gold. On the 20th July 1915, four days before his investiture at Windsor Castle, James Upton married Jane Chambers at Lincoln and they later had several children. After his discharge from the army in March 1919, he moved to Kingsbury in Middlesex. During the Second World War he served with the 12th Platoon of the Home Guard (Middlesex Regiment) with the rank of Major. William Upton V.C. died on the 10th August 1949, aged 62 years, at Edgware Hospital and was buried with full military honours at Golders Green Cemetery. His Victoria Cross and campaign medals were presented to the regiment by his sister-in-law at a reception given at Normanton Barracks, Derby in 1962 and are now on display at the Regimental Museum at Nottingham Castle. Reproduced from 'For Conspicuous Gallantry' by Nigel McCrery, published 1990.