Also Served: William Henry Speake - William Henry SPEAKE
25 Atherton Street, Prescot Private 1953, 5th Bn., South Lancashire regiment 
See Frederick Speake for details of the family in the 1911 census.
Pictured in the Prescot Reporter (above) as '5th South Lancs, wounded twice in France' and listed in the Prescot Reporter in May 1915 as one of the men of Prescot serving with the colours
William worked as a Labourer at BI&HC Ltd when he attested to the Territorial battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment on 7th April 1914, aged 19. His number was 1953. He gave his father, Thomas George Speaks as his next of kin.
On the outbreak of war in 1914 he was called up and went to Edinburgh on 13th August, staying there until the battalion moved to Tunbridge Wells in October of that year.
He embarked from Southampton for France with the Battalion on 12th February 1915, arriving at Le Havre the following day. His service entitled him to the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
William's record shows that he suffered a Gun Shot Wound to the back on 8th May 1915. After initial treatment at a Casualty Clearing Station, he was sent to No 8 Field Hospital at Rouen for treatment, then on 28th May he was sent to the convalescent depot, finally being discharged back to his unit on 6th June. He was then wounded in the neck on 21st August 1915, although he was back with his unit within three days.
He was renumbered to 240331 in early 1917 and was demobilised on 12th March 1919, at which time he gave his address as 43, Derby Street, Prescot.
On 18th February 1921, William acknowledged receipt of his 1915 Star, giving his address as Edgefauld Road, Springburn, Glasgow. He received his other medals on 16th December 1921. Ref. No.:
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