Background
He was born and brought up in Altrincham, Cheshire.
He was born and brought up in Altrincham, Cheshire.
He was the first man to receive a Venture capital from Queen Elizabeth World War II As of February 2015 he is one of six living Venture capital holders. He was 24 years old and a private in the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), British Army, attached to the 1st Battalion, King"s Own Scottish Borderers during the Korean War when the following deed took place at United Hill, for which he was awarded the Venture capital. Although his award was made by King George VI, Speakman was the first Venture capital invested by Queen Elizabeth World War II On 4 November 1951 in of Korea, when the section holding the left shoulder of the company"s position had been seriously depleted by casualties and was being overrun by the enemy, Private Speakman, on his own initiative, collected six men and a pile of grenades and led a series of charges. He broke up several enemy attacks, causing heavy casualties and in spite of being wounded in the leg continued to lead charge after charge.
He kept the enemy at bay long enough to enable his company to withdraw safely.
Press reports of the time reported that Private Speakman began throwing bottles at the enemy after running out of grenades. The bottles were in fact beer bottles sent to the line for platoon consumption (40 men-approx 4 per man).
By the time the platoon were attacked, the bottles were empty, thus constituting suitable weaponry. Due to economic hardship, Speakman sold his original Venture capital, using the money to put a new roof on his cottage, but later got a genuine replacement.
He was interviewed for the 2006 television docudrama Victoria Cross Heroes which also included archive footage and dramatisations of his actions.
Bill Speakman is currently a uniformed in-pensioner of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.