It's amazing what some folks will do when up against it...I remember this story from when I was a kid in grammar school
.......Speakman's VC was won on the night of Sunday 4 November 1951 during a surprise Chinese attack on 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers' positions on Hill 355. The Hook battles were entirely different.
In his book "The Korean War", Max Hastings describes the incident in which Speakman won his VC. This was after the mortars had turned red-hot in firing their counter-bombardment and the mortar platoon commander ordered his men to pour their beer over the tubes to cool them.Two platoons from B Company were forced from thier positions and then "In the early hours of the morning, the company runner, a vast, slow Cheshireman named Bill Speakman, with a fearsome record of disciplinary offences, clambered to his feet in company headquarters, stuffed his pouches, shirt and pockets with grenades, and strode purposefully out into the darkness. 'And where the hell do you think you'e going?' demanded the Company Sergeant-Major. 'Going to shift some of them bloody chinks,' replied Speakman. He charged alone on to the ridge, grenading as he went, then returned for more ammunition. This time, others went with him."
Repeated British counter-attacks throughout the night regained the KOSB's positions by first light. Four DSOs were awarded as well as the VC to Bill Speakman, who was twice wounded.
Legend has it that Speakman was drunk at the time and that, when he ran out of grenades, he hurled empty beer bottles at the Chinese. The drunkenness story probably arises from his disciplinary record; he was, in the phrase of the day a "King's bad bargain" but he rose to the occasion as so many of his ilk did to win a Victoria Cross.