Bill Speakman

British soldier, Recipient of the Victoria Cross

William Speakman-Pitt, VC (21 September 1927 – 20 June 2018), known as Bill Speakman, was a British Army soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross. He was the first person to receive an honor from Queen Elizabeth II.[2]

Bill Speakman
Private Bill Speakman in Korea
Born(1927-09-21)21 September 1927
Altrincham, Cheshire, England
Died20 June 2018(2018-06-20) (aged 90)
London, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1945–1967
RankSergeant
UnitBlack Watch
King's Own Scottish Borderers (att'h)
Special Air Service
Battles/warsKorean War
Malayan Emergency
Indonesian Confrontation
Aden Emergency
AwardsVictoria Cross
Taegeuk Cordon of the Order of Military Merit (South Korea)[1]

Speakman died on 20 June 2018, aged 90.[3]

References

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  1. "William "Bill" Speakman VC". The Comprehensive Guide to the Victoria and George Cross. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  2. Our Queen at Ninety. ITV, 28 March 2016
  3. "Bill Speakman, Altrincham's great war hero and the first person to receive a Victoria Cross from Queen Elizabeth, dies aged 90". Altrincham Today. 21 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.