Victoria Cross and other medals awarded to Sergeant W. Speakman

These medals are the Victoria Cross, Korea Medal, United Nations Korea Medal, General Service Medal 1918-62 with a bar for Malaya, Campaign Service Medal 1962 with bars for Borneo and Radfan, and the Coronation Medal, 1953. William Speakman served in the King's Own Scottish Borderers.

There were sensationalised reports of a drunk Private Speakman hurling beer bottles at the Chinese, but the daily ration of beer was one bottle per man, and 'Big Bill' was of such a build that it would have been difficult to get drunk on such a quantity.

The Korean War (1950-53) was fought between North Korea and China on one side, and South Korea, the U.S.A. and U.N. forces on the other. It arose from the boundary drawn between North and South Korea at the end of World War II along the 38th parallel.

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Online ID:	000-000-100-303-C
Image Rights Holder:	National Museums Scotland
Project:	0207: The Thistle at War Project description \| View all records in project
Ref:	National Museums Scotland M.1986.9
Date:	1950 - 1953 1950-53
Material:
Dimensions:
What:	Medals awarded to Sergeant W. Speakman, 1951
Subject:	Medals
Who:	King's Own Scottish Borderers Seargeant William Speakman (owner)
Where:	Korea (where war took place)
Event:	Korean War
Description:	Victoria Cross and other medals awarded to Sergeant William Speakman of the King's Own Scottish Borderers for service in Korea, 1950-53.
References:	Adkin, Leo The last eleven?; the story of the post-war VCs London: Leo Cooper, 1991 Wood, Stephen The Scottish soldier. Manchester: Archive Publications in association with the National Museums of Scotland, 1987
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