1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: Fellow ridiculous historians, we are returning to you just all 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,959 Speaker 1: twitter painted to tell you a weird story about a 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: long time obsession. You guys, remember the Democratic People's Republic 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: of Korea DPRK or North Korea? 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 2: How could I forget those upstarts, those scamps? 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: Right? Yeah? Yeah? The Kim dynasty is a continuing force 7 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: in the world today and there have been a lot 8 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 1: of terrifying, very strange situations. There's a lot of ridiculous 9 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: history to the DPRK or North Korea. But this week's 10 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: classic episode concerns a guy named Bill Speakman spelled like 11 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: it sounds, who got into a situation in North Korea 12 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: and had to throw beer at people or beer bottles, 13 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: empty bottles, like you do? Is that what you do? 14 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? Man, someone displeases me, you throw an empty beer bottle? Absolutely, 15 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 2: Sometimes I smash it and then brandish the broken end 16 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: at them. 17 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: You don't even drink beer. Where are you getting all these. 18 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: Books talking about I like beer. I'll have a beer. 19 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 2: I'll down a beer with the boys at the pub 20 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 2: of a night out. 21 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: And so this guy Bill's Speakman, as you know what, 22 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: I don't even want to spoil it. Let's just roll 23 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: the tape. Ridiculous History is a production of iHeart Radio. 24 00:01:34,280 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of iHeart Radio. On Young Hazio. Everybody, 25 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: welcome to Ridiculous History. I'm Ben Mushi Moushi. My name 26 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: is Nol and yes, this is indeed Ridiculous History. And 27 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: I know that was the incorrect greeting. You set up 28 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: the theme correctly with your greeting, and you said it beautifully. 29 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: Ben on Young Asio, I said it terribly. Oh did 30 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: I say it better? No, no, nosh. It turns out 31 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 2: that neither of us speak Korea, and that's true. Is 32 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 2: that gonna be a problem for today's episode. 33 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: It shouldn't be. It shouldn't be. Did I tell you 34 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: that story of the last time I was in Korea? 35 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: I went, so, I was walking around, right, and I'm 36 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: in Soul and everybody is very everybody's very friendly. Walk 37 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: into a shop and well dressed. I hear as well, right, right, 38 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: and yes, very much so. And people with shop owners 39 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: or shop employees when you walk in, they greet you, 40 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: they say hello on Young Hasio, and they say it 41 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: usually in a loud, strident tone. And I thought I 42 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: was saying whatever The proper response was, so I walk in, 43 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: these people would say hello, and then I would say 44 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: I would do my bit in Korea, which I do 45 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: not speak, and then they would switch to English and 46 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: ask me, you know, if I needed help, if it 47 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: needs to look for anything, And I thought, okay, sure, 48 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: My Korean's admittedly garbage. It wasn't until I was driving back, 49 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: or I was riding back to the airport when the 50 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: cab driver asked me had I learned any Korean? And 51 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 1: was like, oh, yeah, yeah, I know this, and I 52 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 1: know this and when people say hello, I say this 53 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: and he stops and he goes, oh, man, you. 54 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: Haven't been like doing that, have you? 55 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: He said, do you know what that means? 56 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 2: So what? 57 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: And he said it means where am I? So I 58 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: was walking in, people were saying hello, and I was 59 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: waving at them and going where am I? 60 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 2: And that's why they switched you Like this man has 61 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 2: had an af fugue state of some sort. He is 62 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 2: confused and stumbling around and doesn't know what's going on. 63 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: But what an adventure. And despite our mutual lack of 64 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: fluency in the Korean language, We're still going to have 65 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: a great time with today's story. Oh, we should also 66 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: mention super producer Casey Pegram. 67 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: Is here always. 68 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: I don't know why I did that, like a late 69 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: show intro. We've got a great show for you today, folks. 70 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 2: Exactly. I love it. He's always here. He's a staple. 71 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 2: When he's not here, I dialute. 72 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: Inside a little each time when he cries. 73 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: Yes. 74 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: So, no, we're mentioning Korea. Not for nothing. We're mentioning 75 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: Korea because it is part of our story. Today's story 76 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: is about a war hero, right, Yeah, can I say 77 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: badass on air? 78 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: I think he can? Then, Okay, I think you can. 79 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 2: We think you just did. 80 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: We've been going back and forth off air before about 81 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: whether we can say the three we agreed on if 82 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: I remember what were they? So there was ass? 83 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 2: Oh mean we're gonna just lay them all out? Huh damn? 84 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: And hell? Shall we save those? Well? 85 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't know those I think are approved. 86 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 2: But when you say him all in a row like that, 87 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: it seems a little blue. Ben seems a little blue. 88 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,119 Speaker 2: Oh I'm sorry, Yeah, we went blue. We went blue. 89 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 2: You never go blue. Once you go blue. We should 90 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 2: just do the episode. So yeah, it's about a kind 91 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 2: of an unconventional war hero, a badass, and his particular 92 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: flavor of badassery involved single handedly, largely single handedly, fending 93 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 2: off a wave of Chinese forces that were coming at 94 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 2: him with all they had, with all their mind. 95 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: Yes, the story of William Speakman, known as Bill to 96 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,799 Speaker 1: his friends, Big Bill to his close friends. Big Bill Speakman. 97 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: Big Bill Speakman was born on September twenty seventh, nineteen 98 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: twenty seven, in Cheshire. He was one of those kids 99 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: who always wanted to grow up and be a soldier, 100 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: and growing up, a lot of us, regardless of where 101 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 1: we live in the world, a lot of us have 102 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 1: known children like that. When he was a teenager, he 103 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: was watching the British forces in the Allies take on 104 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,919 Speaker 1: Axis powers. This inspired him. He joined the army in 105 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: nineteen four, which means that he just barely missed the 106 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: conflicts of World War two. 107 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. He was also part of an admittedly like Game 108 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 2: of Thrones esque sounding order called the Black Watch Royal 109 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 2: Highland Regiment, and then, as was his wish, he ended 110 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 2: up joining the King's Own Scottish Borderers, and that is 111 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 2: the outfit that he served with in Korea. 112 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: The King's Own Scottish Borderers. Does sound like a band name, really, 113 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 1: does you know? So Bill Big Bill goes to the 114 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: Korean Peninsula to take part in the Korean War. What's 115 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: the Korean War? Great question? The Korean War is this 116 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: back and forth struggle that has not yet officially ended. 117 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 2: Which is crazy to me. It was a ceasefire, right 118 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 2: and they have you know, they have consistently not fired, 119 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 2: but there was no formal peace treaty. And it was 120 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 2: a war that had so many ideological you know, underpinnings 121 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 2: because it was essentially this conflict between communism and capitalism, 122 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: and the United States gun involved because it was they 123 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 2: looked at it as very much a war against the 124 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 2: forces of communism, this ideological war. And then the in 125 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 2: China has always been a staunch supporter of North Korea. 126 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 2: And even though that makes for some funny bedfellows with 127 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 2: us in China and our relationship with them, and that's 128 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 2: one of the reasons we can't just go in to 129 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 2: North Korea and mess things up because that would totally 130 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 2: torpedo our relationship with China and we can't have that. 131 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:36,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, this was a proxy war also called a limited war, 132 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: wherein the superpowers of the world picked a third country 133 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: so that they weren't waging actual war on each other's soil, 134 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: and they fought their war there. Terrible, terrible thing for 135 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: the people who live in that third country. 136 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: Right. 137 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: So this war began June twenty fifth, nineteen fifty, and 138 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: it went back and forth for a time. The South 139 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: Korean forces were on the precipice of losing this struggle. 140 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: In October of nineteen fifty, hundreds of thousands of Chinese 141 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: soldiers entered the border, and the capital of Korea, Seul, 142 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: would change hands what four times during the struggle? 143 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, And what is the thirty eighth parallel, ben That's 144 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 3: a great question. The thirty eighth Parallel existed originally as 145 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 3: the boundary between the Soviet and American occupation zones in Japan, 146 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 3: but in nineteen forty eight it also became the boundary 147 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 3: between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea DPRK aka North 148 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 3: Korea and the ROK or South Korea. At the time, 149 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 3: as you know, they both claimed to be the legitimate 150 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 3: governments of the entire peninsula. And this changed a little 151 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 3: bit when they signed their armistice agreement in nineteen fifty three. 152 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: Well, we'll get into that later. The important part is, 153 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: as we've established that the thirty eighth parallel is where 154 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 1: things reached stalemate. 155 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 2: That's right. 156 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: Enter Big Bill Speakman. He's twenty four years old. He's 157 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: full of vim vigor, bright eyed, bushy tailed, and thirsty 158 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: to serve his country. So, as we said, he volunteers 159 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: in Korea. And when he is volunteering to engage in 160 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: this conflict, it's still very much anyone's game. It's going 161 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: back and fourth Soul is being captured, recaptured, and he 162 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: transfers to what was the name of that group you 163 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier, the King's own Scottish Borderers, So he transfers 164 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: to them expressly to join the fight in Korea. He 165 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: wants to see actual field service. 166 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 2: And boy does he ever, because in nineteen fifty one, 167 00:09:55,440 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 2: Speakman's battalion was up defending a posi on Maryang San 168 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:06,959 Speaker 2: in Korea, and that is when six thousand Chinese soldiers 169 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 2: laid siege, and we're trying to remove them from that 170 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:12,200 Speaker 2: position and take over. 171 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: So let's set the stage. It's the early hours of 172 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 1: November fourth, the defending battalion is coming under increasingly aggressive 173 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: and dangerous mortar fire and artillery. And that is followed 174 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: by a wave of Chinese troops advancing from their positions. 175 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: They attacked the Commonwealth trenches and by a little bit 176 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: before six in the morning, five forty five or so, 177 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 1: the sides have entered Malay hand to hand combat. 178 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm confused about this. So why were they doing 179 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 2: hand to hand combat? Why weren't they shooting at each other? 180 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: Because they got close enough to So the mortar fire 181 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: and the artillery, it's smacking the tar out of the 182 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: Commonwealth troops, got it. And while they're on the defensive, 183 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 1: the soldiers are getting close enough to This is trench warfare. 184 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 2: It's essentially like that going over the top kind of situation, 185 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:13,719 Speaker 2: right right. 186 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: So they couldn't shoot from you know, from like a 187 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: rifle position, an individual walking position, you can't shoot into 188 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: the trench easily. 189 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 2: That makes sense. So when we say hand to hand, 190 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 2: we are talking largely about I mean just that there's 191 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 2: fists involved, there's hand grenades involved, knives, knives, there's chucking 192 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 2: anything that you can get your hands on involved, and 193 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 2: that that becomes a big part of the story. 194 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 1: So Private Big Bill Speakman is prepping hand grenades when 195 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: he hears a message over the radio saying that two 196 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: groups have been overrun two platoons and that the ridge 197 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: may fall into enemy hands. So he gets the band 198 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: back together. He gathers up whomever's closest to him, hands 199 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 1: out grenades and says, let's go. 200 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 2: And there's this quote in an article from The Independent 201 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 2: that has Speakman describing the scene like this. He says, 202 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 2: it was hand to hand. There was no time to 203 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 2: pull back the bolt of the rifle. It was November, 204 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 2: the ground was hard, so grenades bounced and did damage. 205 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 2: It makes you think of like a video game called 206 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 2: border Lands, where you could get different mods for your grenades, 207 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 2: and one of them made them like bouncing grenades, so 208 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 2: they would like literally bounce off of things and then 209 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 2: explode continuously. I know this is not the kind of 210 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 2: sci fi situation that's going on here, but what would 211 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 2: why would a bouncing grenade do more damage? I'm trying 212 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 2: to picture that because it only blows up once. 213 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: So I guess we're speculating when't say that the bounce 214 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: puts it in a different position, you know, sort of 215 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: like hitting hitting a cool trick shot on a pool table. 216 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 2: Maybe it gets it makes it go farther too. You 217 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 2: could literally bounce it off because the ground is cold 218 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 2: and frozen. You could bounce it off and then it 219 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 2: would go farther. Yes, and if you're just fucking tons 220 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 2: of them, then it would just create absolute havoc. 221 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: So he's got his group of six men who have 222 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: joined him in collecting piles of grenades and throwing them 223 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: right at the enemy forces. It's important to say that 224 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: speakman does this on his own initiative. He's not ordered 225 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:22,839 Speaker 1: to do so. He gets hit in the leg because 226 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: war is an ugly, nasty, dangerous thing, but he keeps fighting, 227 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: and he holds back the Chinese forces long enough for 228 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: those platoons that were overrun to evacuate their wounded, and 229 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: he keeps going. We'll never know how long he would 230 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: keep going. He didn't stop until he was directly ordered 231 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:42,719 Speaker 1: to get his leg looked at. 232 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, But in the meantime, when they ran of grenades, 233 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 2: he started just grabbing whatever he could get his hands on. 234 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 2: And in these days, the troops were allowed to have 235 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,680 Speaker 2: some beer, so they had a whole kind of pile 236 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,199 Speaker 2: of empty beer bottles, and he was able to kind 237 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 2: of created diversion just by hurling beer bottles at the 238 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 2: oncoming opposition, and probably didn't actually kill anybody or hurt 239 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 2: anybody too badly, but it certainly would have been annoying 240 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:11,079 Speaker 2: and certainly would. 241 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: Have caused a distraction, right, I mean, it's the thought 242 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: that counts right. 243 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 2: Absolutely reminds me of that story we did about the 244 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 2: Americans throwing potatoes at a U boat. 245 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: Yep, Yep, that really happened. It was perhaps exaggerated in 246 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: later retellings, but it did happen. There's a great article 247 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: of war history online by Jeff Edwards about this story 248 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: about Big Bill's speakman, and it confirms that he did 249 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: indeed throw these beer bottles. This story gets a little 250 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: bit exaggerated sometimes because you'll hear people say that he 251 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: just started throwing everything he could hand grenades, beer bottles, 252 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: empty ration tens, pencils, small woodland creatures, kitchen silverware, cricket bats, 253 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: and his own well, well will edit this for the air, 254 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: his own blank meaty fist that comes from the great 255 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: website Badass of Theweek dot com, which I highly highly 256 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: highly recommend. He did throw more than grenades and more 257 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: than beer bottles too. They threw ration tons, they threw stones, 258 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: and this did work. The press loved this, by the way. 259 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: They started calling Bill Speakman the beer bottle VC. And 260 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: I don't know if I don't know if you saw 261 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: this partneral. He hated that nickname. 262 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: What does VC mean? That's a big part of the 263 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: story too. That's the Victorian Cross. 264 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: Ah, yes, the Victorian Cross. Tell us a little bit 265 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: about that. 266 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. The Victorian Cross is the highest military honor in 267 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 2: the United Kingdom. It is awarded for unparalleled bravery in 268 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 2: the heat of battle and was first awarded in eighteen 269 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 2: fifty seven by Queen Victoria. She presented them to sixty 270 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 2: two soldiers in front of about one hundred thousand people 271 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 2: at Hyde Park and it has gone on to remain 272 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 2: the highest military honor that one can receive. And Bill 273 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 2: Speakman got it right away because the story caught the 274 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 2: public's imagination. He really was incredibly brave. And to hear 275 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 2: him talk about it, he's like, nah, you know, it 276 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 2: was just doing what I was trying to do. 277 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:28,239 Speaker 1: So yeah, it's rarefied air. Indeed, the medal's been awarded 278 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: one thousand, three hundred and fifty eight times, but only 279 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: fifteen medals have been awarded since World War Two. 280 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 2: And if I'm not mistaken, this would have been the 281 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 2: first VC to be awarded by the current Queen Elizabeth 282 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 2: the second. 283 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's correct. So he loved his country, loved being 284 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: a VC recipient. He did not care in any shape, 285 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: form or fashion to be referred to as the beer 286 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: bottle VC because he thought it made the army look bad. 287 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: He thought the implication people would get from this was 288 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: that he and his colleagues were drinking on the job 289 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: and they weren't weird. Fact, you know what they used 290 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: the beer for? No, they used it to cool down 291 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: gun barrels. 292 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 2: Apparently I didn't know that. 293 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,360 Speaker 1: I did not know that either, and I still. I mean, 294 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: if you are listening and you were one of your 295 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: relatives was in the Korean War or associated with it, 296 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 1: let us know if that's true, because it sounds like 297 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: a convenient excuse, you know what I mean. Oh sorry, Serge, 298 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,239 Speaker 1: we're not This beer isn't for drinking. These guns just 299 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: get so gosh darn hot. 300 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 2: Well it's true, though, Ben, they do get pretty hot. 301 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 2: And you know, these kind of situations require thinking on 302 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 2: your feet and using what you have around as evidenced 303 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 2: by this whole situation, which made him one of the 304 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 2: like a national hero basically. And he returned back to 305 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 2: his home town of Altrinsham in Cheshire, and he was beloved. 306 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 2: There was a parade for him before he got home home. 307 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 2: People had like cleaned his house for him, and he 308 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 2: was treated very differently and he didn't particularly care for it. 309 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 2: He did not adjust very well to life as a civilian, 310 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 2: and he re enlisted pretty quickly. 311 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, yep. He went on to serve in the army 312 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: until nineteen sixty seven. He served in the Indonesia Confrontation, 313 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: the Aiden Emergency, the Malayan Emergency. In twenty fifteen, he 314 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 1: made a return trip to South Korea along with other 315 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: veterans of the war, and when he was there he 316 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: donated his Victoria Cross to South Korea. He believed it 317 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: started there and he thought it was sensible to. 318 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 2: Leave it there and believe he had a replica made 319 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 2: that he gave to North Korea. 320 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 1: Did the yeah, yeah, right, yep, because you know, you 321 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: want to be fair. What's interesting here is that the 322 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: Victoria Cross he donates to South kore is not a replica, 323 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 1: but it is a replacement, you see. Like so many 324 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: veterans of wars Speakman was lauded at the beginning, but 325 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: later fell on financial hardship right, and he sold his 326 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 1: original Victoria Cross, using the money to put a new 327 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 1: roof on his house and only later was given a 328 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: genuine replacement. 329 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 2: Not to mention that in nineteen sixty eight he was 330 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: actually given an absolute discharge from the service because he 331 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 2: was arrested in Edinburgh for stealing one hundred and four 332 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 2: pounds from a woman's purse. And it was likely only 333 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 2: his lauded military career that kept him out of jail, right. 334 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 1: And he was never really comfortable with this, this heroic image. 335 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 1: He wasn't comfortable being a walking icon. We've got a 336 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: quote from an interview he did with the BBC around 337 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 1: the time he went to Korea. He said, it started 338 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: to dawn on me as the days went by, stopping 339 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,120 Speaker 1: in the street. No matter what where you went in Altrincham, 340 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: people were trying to do things for you. I didn't 341 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: realize why it's got the VC really because I only 342 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: did what the other guys did. We fought and that's 343 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: what we were trained to do. So he wasn't into 344 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: the you know, the ego boost the hero worship stuff, 345 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: and he didn't want people to think that he was 346 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: some raging, violent, drunk now carousing and careening throughout the 347 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: Korean War. He was a guy with a job and 348 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: he did it as seriously as he could, even when 349 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: that involved throwing rocks and stones and ration tins, which technically, 350 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: depending on whether the tens were empty or full, could 351 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: make this a food fight. 352 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 2: That's very true. He only just recently passed away in 353 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 2: June of twenty eighteen at the age of ninety. He 354 00:20:56,119 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 2: had immigrated to South Africa several times and come back, 355 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 2: but then ultimately returned to the UK, to Chelsea, which 356 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 2: is where he passed away at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. 357 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: Yes, it's a retirement home and nursing home for around 358 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: three hundred veterans of the British Army. And with the 359 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: passing of Bill Speakman, we see the end of his story, 360 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: his part, his small part of the Korean War, which 361 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: as we record this episode today still technically continues. The 362 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 1: two countries sharing that peninsula in East Asia have not 363 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:40,440 Speaker 1: made peace, but it is an eternal hope for the 364 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: people and the governments of both sides. That was like 365 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 1: the safest, most diplomatic way to say it. 366 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 2: I think that's very smart to keep it. You know, 367 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: diplomacy is key here, Ben, diplomacy is key. And you've 368 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:53,880 Speaker 2: been to South Korea twice. 369 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I am probably going back later this year. 370 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: Actually really, yeah, it's the thing now, big fan, all right, 371 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: I mean you just find yourself in situations. 372 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 2: Well, I guess so we'll make sure to bring me 373 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 2: another hat. That's become our tradition. Now. 374 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm glad you appreciate it. I did, yeah, very much. 375 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 1: So you got to go sometime if you get the chance, 376 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: I'll say it. I know this is the most square 377 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: thing to say about visiting a place. But the food 378 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: is amazing. 379 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:20,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, it looks like it every time you guys go. 380 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 2: I can't look away from the Instagram stories so much 381 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 2: delicious Korean barbecue. 382 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,159 Speaker 1: There's a new Korean barbecue place in Decatur as well, 383 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 1: down the street from where we record this podcast. 384 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 2: Is it legit? 385 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's legit. Cool, it gets the stamp. What's it 386 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: called D ninety two? No idea where the name comes from. 387 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 2: Well, I'll have to check it. Out. I love a 388 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 2: good Korean barbecue and Ben, by the way, unrelated food related, 389 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 2: Happy National Burrito Day. 390 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:46,439 Speaker 1: Thank you, You're welcome. I didn't want to have to 391 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 1: remind you, so I'm glad that you're saying it. 392 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 2: And thank god We've got leftover Chipotle in the office 393 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 2: today so I can honor this holiday with Gusto. 394 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, and we also work down the street from 395 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:58,120 Speaker 1: a restaurant called. 396 00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: Gusto and a restaurant called Chipotle. 397 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:05,959 Speaker 1: At a restaurant called Chipotle, Casey, Pegram are you are 398 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: you a fan of burritos? 399 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 4: Love a good burrito? 400 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: Yeah? 401 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 4: What would be your ideal burrito? I'm pretty weird about britos. 402 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 4: I do not pack my burrito with much of anything 403 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 4: other than guy. Yeah, exactly. I get like steak, rice, cheese, 404 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 4: and that's that's it. 405 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 1: I'm good. No beans, no no. 406 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 2: Beans, bean free, Casey, no beans, Pegrim on the case. 407 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: So this concludes our This concludes our episode, but not 408 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,880 Speaker 1: our show. Thank you so much for tuning in. We 409 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: would like to hear your stories of unorthodox, strange, or 410 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: fascinating events in times of conflict. You know, whether from civilians, 411 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: whether from soldiers, whether your first hand experience a story 412 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: from one of your relatives. Hit us with it. You 413 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: can find us on Facebook. You can find us on Instagram. 414 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: We're also on in a stunning plot twist Twitter. It's 415 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,880 Speaker 1: not really a stunning plot twist. That's kind of required, right, Yeah, yeah, 416 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 1: it's a standard operating procedure. 417 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 2: I don't really mess with Twitter. There's a whole language 418 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 2: and vocabulary surrounding Twitter that I am just blissfully ignorant to. 419 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 2: I am an Instagram kid, and you can follow me 420 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 2: if you'd like at Embryonic Insider. 421 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 1: You can find me and my various misadventures getting kicked 422 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 1: in and kicked out of countries around the world on 423 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: Instagram at Ben Bollan. You can see me on Twitter 424 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 1: at Ben Bolan HSW. Most importantly, you can see our 425 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: favorite part of the show, you are fellow listeners, live 426 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 1: and direct on our Facebook page, Ridiculous Historians. 427 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 2: Thanks as always to our super producer Casey Pegram, Thanks 428 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,159 Speaker 2: to Alex Williams, who composed our theme. Thanks to our 429 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 2: research associate Gabe Lucier. 430 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: Thanks to Bill Speakman, thanks to Christopher Haciotis, thanks to 431 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 1: whomever invented the burrito, and thanks to you, nol. 432 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:57,719 Speaker 2: Hey Ben, thanks to you too, and thanks to our 433 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 2: next episode, which you can join us for talk about 434 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 2: weird Chinese cult surrounding a certain Jesus of Nazareth. Fellow 435 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 2: Yeah cults? 436 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,360 Speaker 1: Oh uh wait, are you thanking our episode? 437 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 2: I am in advance. 438 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 1: Okay, well, let's make it good. 439 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 2: See you next time, folks. For more podcasts from my 440 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 2: heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 441 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,160 Speaker 2: you listen to your favorite shows. For more podcasts from 442 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 2: my heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 443 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 2: wherever you listen to your favorite shows,