Reginald Stanley Judson Reginald Stanley Judson ( 29 September 1881 – 26 August 1972 ) was a New Zealander recipient of the Victoria Cross ( VC ) , the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces , which he received during the First World War . At the time of performing the actions that led to his award of the VC , he had already been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Military Medal , with all three medals being won in a four week period between July and August 1918 . Early life . Reginald Stanley Judson was born at Wharehine , north of Auckland , New Zealand on 29 September 1881 . He worked as a boilermaker and engineer , although when he enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in October 1915 , he gave his occupation as a boot maker . First World War . Judson embarked for the Middle East in January 1916 with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade to join the rest of the NZEF . In February , he was transferred to 1st Battalion , Auckland Infantry Regiment . Promoted to corporal , he participated in the Battle of Flers - Courcelette on 15 September 1916 , where he was seriously wounded . He was evacuated to England where he would spend nearly two years recovering from his injuries . In June 1918 , Judson , now a sergeant , returned to the battalion , which as part of the New Zealand Division was engaged in fighting in the Somme sector . Late the following month , he rescued six of his fellow soldiers during a German counterattack near Hebuterne . For this action , he was recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal ( DCM ) . On 16 August , he was at the forefront of a bayonet charge at Bucquoy that earned him the Military Medal ( MM ) . Ten days later , Judson participated in the Second Battle of Bapaume during which his actions led to his award of the Victoria Cross ( VC ) . The actions which led to Judson being awarded the VC , the DCM and the MM took place over a period of just four weeks . The citation for Judson ' s VC was published in the same edition of the London Gazette as the citation for his DCM . His VC citation read as follows : In September , Judson was a victim of a gassing attack and returned to England to convalescence . He then attended an officer training school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant . Later life . Judson was discharged from the NZEF in January 1919 but opted to remain in the New Zealand Military Forces . He joined the New Zealand Staff Corps as a commissioned officer . Due to his war wounds ( eight fragments of shrapnel remained in his chest and abdomen ) and the after effects of his gassing , his health was fragile , and he had two periods of extended sick leave in 1924 and 1934 . Despite being regarded as a reliable and conscientious officer , promotion opportunities in the postwar Staff Corps were limited and when he retired in 1937 , it was with the rank of captain . On his retirement , Judson ' s pension was insufficient to support him and his family ( he was married with five children ) . Unable to return to his civilian trade of engineering due to his poor health , he subsequently found employment as a secretary at a school in Auckland . Following the outbreak of the Second World War , Judson volunteered for military service . He served on the home front for the duration of the war , commanding the Guards Vital points Battalion in Auckland . He retired from the military in September 1946 with the rank of major . He died in Auckland on 26 August 1972 and is buried at Waikumete Cemetery . The Medal . Judson ' s Victoria Cross was displayed at the QEII Army Memorial Museum , Waiouru , New Zealand . On 2 December 2007 it was one of nine Victoria Crosses that were among a hundred medals stolen from the museum . On 16 February 2008 , New Zealand Police announced all the medals had been recovered as a result of a NZ $ 300 , 000 reward offered by Michael Ashcroft and Tom Sturgess .