Reports of the death of Bill Speakman VC . . .

[FourZeroCharlie]

The KOSB site is stating:

"With regret and much sadness we inform you that Sergeant Bill Speakman VC died at The Royal Hospital Chelsea at about 7pm last night. . . "

Sergeant Bill Speakman VC - Notification

 

[Lacking Moral Fibre]

Very sad if true, but he has looked frail for a while.

 

[Stanchion]

Sad news,
I don't do hero-worship but here was a man with all too human frailties that
I had a lot of time for.
He was part of the rich fabric of the British Army.

 

[HLD DMR]

Kinda odd how they omitted the fact he joined up with the Black Watch and served with them for 5 years before transferring to the KSOB.

 

[FourZeroCharlie]

. . . and, sadly, confirmed on the VC and GC website:

The VC and GC Association

Met him, once, at the Royal Hospital: robust in attitude though (even then) frail.

 

[HappyNomad]

Kinda odd how they omitted the fact he joined up with the Black Watch and served with them for 5 years before transferring to the KSOB.

Quite clear on the VC & GC Association website... link in the post above.

 

[Busterdog]

Kinda odd how they omitted the fact he joined up with the Black Watch and served with them for 5 years before transferring to the KSOB.

Did you ever hear/read Speakman's view on this?
And it's KOSB!

Rest in Peace Bill it was a privilege to serve with you.... you'll be up there wi' Busty, John P., and a' yer other Bravo Company muckers from that hill in Korea.
XXV!

 

[HLD DMR]

Quite clear on the VC & GC Association website... link in the post above.

That link wasn’t there when I commented, no ref on op’s original link.

 

[FourZeroCharlie]

It's a sign of the times that the BBC is more than happy to report the (admittedly, untimely) death of a pretty but rather vacuous reality TV person, one Sophie Gradon Love Island star Sophie Gradon dies than Speakman VC, who served his country more admirably whilst 3-parts pished than the fragrant Sophie ever could or did.

Meh.

 

[Bus Pass 01]

So another legend departs RIP. He had his problems and was not perfect but when the man and the hour met he was not found wanting. Nothing on BBC a few minutes ago both national and regional.

Perhaps the Korean War when we stood up to Communist aggression does not sit well with the the bunch of Marxists and snowflakes that have burrowed into our establishment, perhaps also live VC and GC holders make this group of people uncomfortable and they are glad when they die out, the lack of the award in recent conflicts has been well discussed on this forum.

 

[Auld-Yin]

Sorry to hear that. Another character from that generation gone, not many left.

 

[Pvivax]

It's a sign of the times that the BBC is more than happy to report the (admittedly, untimely) death of a pretty but rather vacuous reality TV person, one Sophie Gradon Love Island star Sophie Gradon dies than Speakman VC, who served his country more admirably whilst 3-parts pished than the fragrant Sophie ever could or did.

Meh.

Those were exactly my thoughts.

 

[pimpernel]

Did you ever hear/read Speakman's view on this?
And it's KOSB!

Rest in Peace Bill it was a privilege to serve with you.... you'll be up there wi' Busty, John P., and a' yer other Bravo Company muckers from that hill in Korea.
XXV!

Colour Sergeant John (Cush) Common MM – Imperial War Museum Interview – The King's Own Scottish Borderers

Did Cush Common MM get his MM in the same action?
His son Bill went onto become a Lt Col in another famous Lowland Regiment.

 

[plaster]

The KOSB site is stating:

"With regret and much sadness we inform you that Sergeant Bill Speakman VC died at The Royal Hospital Chelsea at about 7pm last night. . . "

Sergeant Bill Speakman VC - Notification

Thanks for the links

 

[Jack_Prior]

Sorry to read of this. Altrincham Today reported his passing this afternoon, "the first person to receive a Victoria Cross from Queen Elizabeth".

Anybody read the book, by any chance?

 

[Gravdigger]

RIP. Great man and very approachable. Met him momentarily near Chelsea barracks many years ago but his bearing and spirit shone through. Not too many of his ilk left.

 

[FourZeroCharlie]

Turn a thread about a VC awardee into a rant about the left.

Well done

. . . and yet here you are to defend them: do you feel personally insulted?

 

[Baglock]

. . . and yet here you are to defend them: do you feel personally insulted?

Not at all.

The Korean war was known as the forgotten war. Certainly that seems to be the case for the UK due to the relatively low commitment we put forth.

Even in the USA it was overshadowed by Ww2 and later the more controversial Vietnam conflict.

Lazily blaming the lack of recognition for Bill and the conflict on the left is frankly simplistic in the extreme.

In my view, the war in Korea had a positive outcome in that the south remained free and democratic and has gone on to become an economic powerhouse, as we see today, thanks to men like the subject of the op.

RIP Bill Speakman VC

 

[Snakecharmer]

On a visit to South Korea a couple of years back Bill stated that when he passed he would like to have his ashes scattered in the DMZ..

 

[Tomasz Krachanaker]

@Stanchion nailed it.

RIP Mr Speakman.