Autographs of Bill Speakman
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, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the first person to receive an honour from Queen Elizabeth II.
Speakman was born and brought up in Altrincham, Cheshire, and educated at Wellington Road School, Timperley.
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 VC. At dusk on 4 November 1951, during the Second Battle of Maryang-san, on the ridge known as Hill 217 in Marysang-san, the section holding the left shoulder of the company's position had been seriously depleted by casualties and was being overrun by the enemy. Speakman, on his own initiative, filled his pockets with grenades and went forward, pelting the Chinese with them. Having thrown all of the grenades he had, he returned for more. Inspired by his actions, six men joined him in collecting a pile of grenades and followed him in a series of charges. He broke up several enemy attacks, causing heavy casualties and, despite being wounded in the leg and the shoulder, continued to lead charge after charge. When they ran low on ammunition, they had to resort to throwing stones and ration tins and, according to legend, beer bottles. The enemy was kept at bay long enough to enable his company to withdraw safely. The press nicknamed him the 'beer-bottle VC,' something he disliked for fear that it suggested he and his colleagues drank beer while on duty; the beer was in fact used to cool gun barrels.
More about Bill Speakman Wikipedia
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Traded items with a signature of Bill Speakman
The most expensive item with a signature of Bill Speakman (Tasker Watkins VC, Bill Speakman VC, Edward Kenna VC + 2 more signed cover Y810) was sold in October 2019 for £60.00 while the cheapest item (BILL SPEAKMAN VC - TRUCE IN THE TRENCHES - EXCELLENT SIGNED FIRST DAY COVER) found a new owner for £1.00 in February 2015. The month with the most items sold (5) was July 2013 with an average selling price of £4.19 for an autographed item of Bill Speakman. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in October 2019 with £60.00 and the month that saw the lowest prices with £2.00 was August 2019. In average, an autographed item from Bill Speakman is worth £9.95.
Most recently, these items with a signature of Bill Speakman were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
| Picture | Item Title | Price | Store |
 | 2004 THE VICTORIA CROSS FDC PERSONALLY SIGNED BY SERGEANT BILL SPEAKMAN VC. | £6.74 |  |
| BILL SPEAKMAN - VICTORIA CROSS WINNING SOLDIER - SIGNED B/W PHOTOGRAPH | £20.00 | |
| BILL SPEAKMAN-PITT VC-2006 - LEST WE FORGET - AUTOGRAPHED EDITIONS FDC | £4.00 | |
| Christmas 1914 Truce in the trenches FDC signed FDC - BILL SPEAKMAN VC | £39.99 | |
| FIVE COVERS AUTOGRAPHED BY VARIOUS VC HOLDERS BILL SPEAKMAN PITTS AND OTHERS | £4.99 | |
| Guernsey VC Full set of 6 VC Stamps Signed by Bill Speakman VC & I Fraser VC | £17.95 | |
 | Korea Victoria Cross Bill Speakman VC signed Internetstamps VC FDC and biography | £21.64 | |
| Piece Signed Bill Speakman VC Victoria Cross Holder | £5.95 | |
| Piece Signed by Bill Speakman Pitts VC Victoria Cross Holder | £9.95 | |
| Private Bill Speakman-Pitt VC signed B/W photo postcard Victoria Cross | £8.00 | |
| Private Bill Speakman-Pitt VC signed B/W photo postcard Victoria Cross | £8.00 | |
| Pvt Bill Speakman-Pitts VC signed Korean War postcard photo. AY2353 | £25.00 | |
| SERGEANT BILL SPEAKMAN VC SIGNED BATU GAJAH MEMORIAL PERAK MALAYSIA COVER | £3.20 | |
| SERGEANT BILL SPEAKMAN VC SIGNED BATU GAJAH MEMORIAL PERAK MALAYSIA COVER | £5.50 | |
| UK Batu Gajah Memorial cover 25/12/2005 signed Bill Speakman VC The Black Watch | £13.52 | |
