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On April 20, 1920, Ronald Speirs, American Army officer (CO of Easy Company), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 2007). From the article:
"Lieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Speirs (20 April 1920 – 11 April 2007)[1] was a United States Army officer who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He was initially assigned as a platoon leader in B Company of the 1st Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Speirs was reassigned to D Company of the 2nd Battalion prior to the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 and later assigned as commander of E Company during an assault on Foy, Belgium after the siege of Bastogne was broken during the Battle of the Bulge. Speirs also served in Korea, where he was assigned both as a rifle company commander and as a staff officer. He later became the American governor for Spandau Prison in Berlin. He reached the rank of captain while serving in the European Theater during World War II, major during the Korean War and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Speirs was portrayed in the television miniseries Band of Brothers by Matthew Settle.
Speirs was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1920 and spent his first few years there. He emigrated with his family to the United States, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts on 25 December 1924.[2] He attended military training in high school, which led to a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry of the United States Army. After the United States entered World War II Speirs volunteered for the paratroopers. He served as a platoon leader within Dog Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which later became part of the 101st Airborne Division, at Camp Toccoa, Georgia and was shipped to England in late 1943 shortly before Mission Albany. After arriving in England, the division began training for the invasion of France.
Speirs parachuted into Normandy on 6 June 1944 (or D-Day) and quickly met with fellow troops after landing. He assembled a small group of soldiers to assist during the Brecourt Manor Assault, where they captured the fourth 105mm howitzer.[3]:83[4]:88[5]:69
Speirs' platoon spent the night of 6 June being shuffled in position with other platoons as the company was arranged for battle to begin early the next morning.[4]:186 A rolling artillery barrage had been coordinated in support of the ground assault on the morning of 7 June, to initiate the attack. It was here that PFC Art DiMarzio, who is also referenced in the book "Beyond Band of Brothers", was eyewitness to an event. He stated that a replacement sergeant disobeyed a direct order while in a combat situation, thereby risking the lives of the other soldiers in the company. According to DiMarzio, Speirs, commanding 2nd platoon, Dog Company was given orders to halt their attack on Ste. Come-du-Mont, to hold position while regimental headquarters coordinated a rolling barrage shelling fifteen targets in the vicinity of Ste. Come-du-Mont. DiMarzio, who was lying in a prone position next to a sergeant, stated he remembered the sergeant being drunk. An order to hold position was given and relayed down the line which the sergeant refused to obey, wanting to rush forward and engage the Germans. Once again, Speirs gave him the order to hold his position. Speirs told the man that he was too drunk to perform his duties and that he should remove himself to the rear. The sergeant refused and began to reach for his rifle. Speirs again warned the sergeant, who now leveled his rifle at Speirs. Art DiMarzio says he then saw Speirs shoot the sergeant in self-defense. The entire platoon also witnessed the event. Lieutenant Speirs immediately reported the incident to his commanding officer, Captain Jerre S Gross. Eyewitness DiMarzio says that Captain Gross went to the scene of the shooting and after receiving all the information, deemed it justifiable self-defense. Captain Gross was killed in battle the next day, and the incident was never pursued.[citation needed]
In January 1945, when Easy Company's initial attack on the German-occupied town of Foy bogged down due to the poor leadership of its commander, 1st Lieutenant Norman Dike, battalion executive officer Captain Richard Winters ordered Speirs to relieve Dike of command.[4]:176 The selection of Speirs was incidental; Winters later stated that Speirs was simply the first officer he saw when he turned around.[4]:185[3]:209 Speirs successfully took over the assault and led Easy Company to victory. During this battle, Lt. Dike had ordered a platoon to go on a flanking mission around the rear of the town.[3]:208 To countermand this order, Speirs himself ran through the town and German lines (as this platoon had no radio), linked up with the Item Company soldiers and relayed the order.[3]:209 Having completed this, he then ran back through the German-occupied town. He was reassigned as commanding officer of Easy Company and remained in that position for the rest of the war. Of the officers who commanded Easy Company during the war, Speirs commanded the longest.[4]:272
Winters assessed Speirs as being one of the finest combat officers in the battalion. He wrote in his memoirs that Speirs had worked hard to earn a reputation as a killer and had often killed for shock value.[4]:187 Winters stated that Speirs was alleged on one occasion to have killed six German prisoners of war with a Thompson submachine gun and that the battalion leadership must have been aware of the allegations, but chose to ignore the charges because of the pressing need to retain qualified combat leaders. Winters concluded that in today's army, Speirs would have been court-martialed and charged with atrocities, but at the time officers like Speirs were too valuable because they were not afraid to engage the enemy.
Although Speirs had enough points to go home after the end of the European Campaign, he chose to remain with Easy Company. Japan surrendered before Speirs and Easy could be transferred to the Pacific Theater.
Speirs returned to the United States and decided to remain in the Army, serving in the Korean War. On 23 March 1951, he participated in Operation Tomahawk in which he made a combat parachute jump into Munsan-ni with nearly 3,500 other troopers in his unit (187th Regimental Combat Team). As a rifle company commander,[citation needed] he was part of his battalion's mission to secure the drop zone, killing forty or fifty enemy soldiers in the process.[6]
Following Korea, Speirs attended a Russian language course in 1956 and was assigned as a liaison officer to the Red Army in Potsdam, East Germany. In 1958, he became the American governor of the Spandau Prison in Berlin, where prominent Nazis such as Rudolf Hess were imprisoned.[3]:301 Prisoner Albert Speer mentions in his book, Spandau: The Secret Diaries, a "hard-nosed, irritating American Commandant"; that man was later identified as Speirs.[citation needed]
In 1962, Speirs was a member of the US Mission to the Royal Lao Army,[3]:301 where he served as a training officer in Mobile Training Team (MTT) for Operation White Star which was then managed by the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Laos (MAAG Laos).[citation needed]
His final assignment in the Army was as a plans officer in the Pentagon. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1964.[7]
On 20 May 1944, Speirs married Margaret Griffiths, whom he had met while stationed in Wiltshire, England.[8] Griffiths had been a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service. They had one son, Robert, who grew up to become a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Green Jackets.
The 1992 Stephen E. Ambrose book Band of Brothers claimed Speirs' English wife had left him and returned to her first husband whom she thought had died during the war.[3]:287 Speirs denied this claim. In a 1992 letter written to Richard Winters, Speirs wrote that his first wife simply did not want to move to America with him and be away from her family in England. He also stated his wife was never a widow to begin with and that he had always loved her.[citation needed]"
"Lieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Speirs (20 April 1920 – 11 April 2007)[1] was a United States Army officer who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He was initially assigned as a platoon leader in B Company of the 1st Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Speirs was reassigned to D Company of the 2nd Battalion prior to the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 and later assigned as commander of E Company during an assault on Foy, Belgium after the siege of Bastogne was broken during the Battle of the Bulge. Speirs also served in Korea, where he was assigned both as a rifle company commander and as a staff officer. He later became the American governor for Spandau Prison in Berlin. He reached the rank of captain while serving in the European Theater during World War II, major during the Korean War and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Speirs was portrayed in the television miniseries Band of Brothers by Matthew Settle.
Speirs was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1920 and spent his first few years there. He emigrated with his family to the United States, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts on 25 December 1924.[2] He attended military training in high school, which led to a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry of the United States Army. After the United States entered World War II Speirs volunteered for the paratroopers. He served as a platoon leader within Dog Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which later became part of the 101st Airborne Division, at Camp Toccoa, Georgia and was shipped to England in late 1943 shortly before Mission Albany. After arriving in England, the division began training for the invasion of France.
Speirs parachuted into Normandy on 6 June 1944 (or D-Day) and quickly met with fellow troops after landing. He assembled a small group of soldiers to assist during the Brecourt Manor Assault, where they captured the fourth 105mm howitzer.[3]:83[4]:88[5]:69
Speirs' platoon spent the night of 6 June being shuffled in position with other platoons as the company was arranged for battle to begin early the next morning.[4]:186 A rolling artillery barrage had been coordinated in support of the ground assault on the morning of 7 June, to initiate the attack. It was here that PFC Art DiMarzio, who is also referenced in the book "Beyond Band of Brothers", was eyewitness to an event. He stated that a replacement sergeant disobeyed a direct order while in a combat situation, thereby risking the lives of the other soldiers in the company. According to DiMarzio, Speirs, commanding 2nd platoon, Dog Company was given orders to halt their attack on Ste. Come-du-Mont, to hold position while regimental headquarters coordinated a rolling barrage shelling fifteen targets in the vicinity of Ste. Come-du-Mont. DiMarzio, who was lying in a prone position next to a sergeant, stated he remembered the sergeant being drunk. An order to hold position was given and relayed down the line which the sergeant refused to obey, wanting to rush forward and engage the Germans. Once again, Speirs gave him the order to hold his position. Speirs told the man that he was too drunk to perform his duties and that he should remove himself to the rear. The sergeant refused and began to reach for his rifle. Speirs again warned the sergeant, who now leveled his rifle at Speirs. Art DiMarzio says he then saw Speirs shoot the sergeant in self-defense. The entire platoon also witnessed the event. Lieutenant Speirs immediately reported the incident to his commanding officer, Captain Jerre S Gross. Eyewitness DiMarzio says that Captain Gross went to the scene of the shooting and after receiving all the information, deemed it justifiable self-defense. Captain Gross was killed in battle the next day, and the incident was never pursued.[citation needed]
In January 1945, when Easy Company's initial attack on the German-occupied town of Foy bogged down due to the poor leadership of its commander, 1st Lieutenant Norman Dike, battalion executive officer Captain Richard Winters ordered Speirs to relieve Dike of command.[4]:176 The selection of Speirs was incidental; Winters later stated that Speirs was simply the first officer he saw when he turned around.[4]:185[3]:209 Speirs successfully took over the assault and led Easy Company to victory. During this battle, Lt. Dike had ordered a platoon to go on a flanking mission around the rear of the town.[3]:208 To countermand this order, Speirs himself ran through the town and German lines (as this platoon had no radio), linked up with the Item Company soldiers and relayed the order.[3]:209 Having completed this, he then ran back through the German-occupied town. He was reassigned as commanding officer of Easy Company and remained in that position for the rest of the war. Of the officers who commanded Easy Company during the war, Speirs commanded the longest.[4]:272
Winters assessed Speirs as being one of the finest combat officers in the battalion. He wrote in his memoirs that Speirs had worked hard to earn a reputation as a killer and had often killed for shock value.[4]:187 Winters stated that Speirs was alleged on one occasion to have killed six German prisoners of war with a Thompson submachine gun and that the battalion leadership must have been aware of the allegations, but chose to ignore the charges because of the pressing need to retain qualified combat leaders. Winters concluded that in today's army, Speirs would have been court-martialed and charged with atrocities, but at the time officers like Speirs were too valuable because they were not afraid to engage the enemy.
Although Speirs had enough points to go home after the end of the European Campaign, he chose to remain with Easy Company. Japan surrendered before Speirs and Easy could be transferred to the Pacific Theater.
Speirs returned to the United States and decided to remain in the Army, serving in the Korean War. On 23 March 1951, he participated in Operation Tomahawk in which he made a combat parachute jump into Munsan-ni with nearly 3,500 other troopers in his unit (187th Regimental Combat Team). As a rifle company commander,[citation needed] he was part of his battalion's mission to secure the drop zone, killing forty or fifty enemy soldiers in the process.[6]
Following Korea, Speirs attended a Russian language course in 1956 and was assigned as a liaison officer to the Red Army in Potsdam, East Germany. In 1958, he became the American governor of the Spandau Prison in Berlin, where prominent Nazis such as Rudolf Hess were imprisoned.[3]:301 Prisoner Albert Speer mentions in his book, Spandau: The Secret Diaries, a "hard-nosed, irritating American Commandant"; that man was later identified as Speirs.[citation needed]
In 1962, Speirs was a member of the US Mission to the Royal Lao Army,[3]:301 where he served as a training officer in Mobile Training Team (MTT) for Operation White Star which was then managed by the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Laos (MAAG Laos).[citation needed]
His final assignment in the Army was as a plans officer in the Pentagon. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1964.[7]
On 20 May 1944, Speirs married Margaret Griffiths, whom he had met while stationed in Wiltshire, England.[8] Griffiths had been a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service. They had one son, Robert, who grew up to become a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Green Jackets.
The 1992 Stephen E. Ambrose book Band of Brothers claimed Speirs' English wife had left him and returned to her first husband whom she thought had died during the war.[3]:287 Speirs denied this claim. In a 1992 letter written to Richard Winters, Speirs wrote that his first wife simply did not want to move to America with him and be away from her family in England. He also stated his wife was never a widow to begin with and that he had always loved her.[citation needed]"
Ronald Speirs - Wikipedia
Posted from en.m.wikipedia.org
WWII World War Two
Military History
Combat
Combat Arms
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
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Spiers executed prisoners? Yes? no?
See previous video (Capt Spiers: Psycho Killer)and make your own mind up.
Thank you, my friend SGT (Join to see) for making us aware that April 20 is the anniversary of the birth of Scottish emigre at age 4 with his family; he received military training in high school, which led to a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry of the United States Army; Ronald Charles Speirs who in WWII served with 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment [which later became part of the 101st Airborne Division] in western Europe from June 6, 1944 - D-Day - onwards.
Rest in peace Ronald Charles Speirs!
Spiers executed prisoners? Yes? no?
"Robert Thomas 3 years ago
Not long before he died, I met "Wild Bill"at a gun show in Allentown, PA. I asked him about this. His answer was, "Don't smoke with Spiers, its bad for your health."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzjzwRN3gZI
Background from ronaldspeirs.com/personal-life/
"Personal Life
Early Life
Ronald Charles Speirs was born on 20th April, 1920 in the Scottish city of Edinburgh.1 He was the youngest of five children for parents Robert Craig Speirs, Jr and Martha Agnes (McNeil) Speirs, 2but his stay in Scotland was to be short.
Ronald’s parents
Robert Speirs, Ronald’s father, was born in Greenock, Scotland in 1882.3 His engineering career began as a young man when he became an apprentice engineer fitter in the Glasgow area.4 Around this time, Robert met Martha McNeil. They were married in 1908 5and lived in Dalmuir, just outside Glasgow. By this time, Robert was a journeyman engineer.
Robert and Martha left Glasgow in 1908 as Robert went to work at the shipyard in Devonport, Plymouth, England. He was responsible for fitting out the large guns on the Royal Naval battleships which – according to family legend, included HMS Hood.6
Whilst in Plymouth, Robert and Martha had had three daughters and a son.7 The family left Devon and moved back to Scotland in 1918 and it was during this time, in Edinburgh, that Ronald was born.
When the Armistice, which ended WW1, was signed on the 11th November, 1918, Britain’s great ship-building industry began to wind down. As a result, Robert saw many men leave to pursue opportunities abroad in America. Many years later, Ronald Speirs would write, “my father was a Scotish Engineer who emigrated to the U.S. because of the lack of employment in the UK during the depression.”8
Initially, Robert travelled to America alone. So when he found work in Boston with Hunt Spiller Co., a company known for their high carbon gun iron, it would mark the start of a steady and profitable engineering career in the USA. Robert now began planning for the family to join him.
Martha and their five children boarded the SS Winifredian in Liverpool on 13th December, 1924,9 sailing for Boston to be reunited with Robert. The ship docked at Boston Harbour on Christmas morning, 1924.10
Once there, the family lived in the Suffolk County section of the city11 among a large population of recent immigrants, primarily of Scottish-Irish heritage.
Ronald’s early childhood
Ronald spent his child and early adulthood in Boston, though records show during the summer break, when Ronald was between 8th and 9th grades, he and his parents sailed back back to the UK on the MV Georgic, part of the Cunard White Star line, from Boston.12 The journey took them through New York and Galway in Ireland before docking in Liverpool on 25th June, 1934.13 They returned to Boston two months later.14
Ronald attended the Boston English High School, graduating in 1938.15 He later wrote, “my first experience with the military was in high school. Close order drill was taught by two regular army officers. They encouraged the students to attend Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC) during the summer vacation. CMTC for the infantry was held at Great Diamond Island in Portland, Maine.”16
After finishing high school, Ronald went on to study at Bentley College, graduating with a certificate in accounting17 which enabled him to find employment as a junior accountant.18
Adult Life
Ronald Speirs’ first marriage took place on 20th May 1944 to an English girl he met whilst stationed in Aldbourne, Wilshire, England.19 Speirs recalled, “before the invasion, I was sent down to Winchester to set up a camp for an infantry division coming up from Africa. There I met my English wife who was a member of the ATS, the British women’s service.”20 They married in the local village church of St Michaels at Aldbourne, where fellow paratroopers Lt Fredrick Heyliger and Lt Herbert Viertel acted as witnesses to the marriage.21
The girl Speirs married was a spinster and her marriage to Speirs was her first.22,23,24,25 After the war ended, she decided she could not bear to leave her close knit family to go to live in America.26 It is known that Speirs was terribly upset by this turn of events.27 It is also known that Speirs said she was the love of his life, and that he clearly always loved her.28,29
This marriage produced a son who was to be Speirs’ only child.30 Speirs never lost contact with his son Robert and remained a presence in his son’ life. In fact, as the boy grew up, contact between father and son also grew.31 It is known that Ronald Speirs accompanied his son to his first day of preparatory school in England and attended other significant events in his son’s life.32 Speirs was “treated as a member of the family” on these occasions.33
As grown man with children of his own, Robert and his family would often stay in America with his father and Speirs would “exchange visits with his son.”34 Speirs wrote many years later, “my son Robert, born in England during the war is a Major in the Royal Green Jackets” and continued “his three beautiful children are my pride and joy.”35
Ronald Speirs’ son retired from the British Army as a Lieutenant Colonel – the same rank as his father, and Speirs wrote, ”I am very proud of him.”36
Inaccurate information surrounding his marriage as published in the book Band of Brothers, upset and angered Speirs because “my English wife was not a widow as the book stated.”37 Speirs continued, “The other reference to her in the book was disparaging.” 38 Speirs also states, “I loved her and still do.”39
Speirs thought it would be “embarrassing” 40 to show his son the book and wrote “someone should have verified the facts with me before printing.”41 Subsequently, Speirs sent a copy of Band of Brothers to his son in which he wrote “there are stories in here you need to take with a pinch of salt.”42 As a result of these inaccuracies, Speirs declined to do any publicity interviews.43
The love and concern Speirs still felt towards his English wife, was once more shown as work began to adapt the book Band of Brothers into a TV show. Once again, he tried to protect her reputation. Speirs demanded “all comments about my English wife be eliminated”44 and states “this is all I care about.”45 Again he mentions, “she was not, as you stated a ‘widow’ at our marriage.”46 Speirs writes, “she was a wonderful person.”47
The passenger manifest of the Queen Mary shows Speirs leaving England in January of 1946 as a Company Commander with 82nd Airborne Division. After his return to the States, Speirs and his English wife were divorced under US law.48
Ronald second marriage – to a war widow whose first husband was killed in 1944 – took place on 8th May, 1950, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.49 It is unknown when this marriage was dissolved, but records show a third marriage on 12th July, 1958 in Berlin, Germany.50 This union is known to have lasted until divorce in 1966.51
It is unclear if Speirs had a life partner between his divorce in 1966 and final marriage – which took place in 1987 when he was 67 years old.
1. US Social Security Index 1935 – 2014
2. 1930 US Federal Census
3. 1901 Scotland Census
4. 1901 Scotland Census
5. 1911 England Census
6. Family statement
7. 1911 England Census
8. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
9. Massachusetts passenger and crew list 1820 – 1963
10. Massachusetts passenger and crew list 1820 – 1963
11. 1930 US Federal Census
12. UK Incoming passenger and crew list 1878 – 1960
13. UK Incoming passenger and crew list 1878 – 1960
14. Massachusetts passenger and crew list 1820 – 1963
15. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
16. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
17. Family statement
18. US City directories 1821 – 1989
19. England and Wales Marriage Index
20. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
21. UK Marriage certificate
22. England and Wales Marriage Index
23. Family statement
24. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 27/05/92
25. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
26. Family statement
27. Family statement
28. Family statement
29. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 27/05/92
30. Engalnd and Wales Birth Index
31. Family statement
32. Family statement
33. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
34. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
35. Staement written by Ronald Speirs dated 21/06/91
36. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
37. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
38. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
39. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
40. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
41. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
42. Family statement
43. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronad Speirs dated 27/05/92
44. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
45. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
46. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
47. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
48. Letter ro Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 08/05/99
49. Alabama marriage records
50. California divorce records
51. California divorce records"
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
Rest in peace Ronald Charles Speirs!
Spiers executed prisoners? Yes? no?
"Robert Thomas 3 years ago
Not long before he died, I met "Wild Bill"at a gun show in Allentown, PA. I asked him about this. His answer was, "Don't smoke with Spiers, its bad for your health."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzjzwRN3gZI
Background from ronaldspeirs.com/personal-life/
"Personal Life
Early Life
Ronald Charles Speirs was born on 20th April, 1920 in the Scottish city of Edinburgh.1 He was the youngest of five children for parents Robert Craig Speirs, Jr and Martha Agnes (McNeil) Speirs, 2but his stay in Scotland was to be short.
Ronald’s parents
Robert Speirs, Ronald’s father, was born in Greenock, Scotland in 1882.3 His engineering career began as a young man when he became an apprentice engineer fitter in the Glasgow area.4 Around this time, Robert met Martha McNeil. They were married in 1908 5and lived in Dalmuir, just outside Glasgow. By this time, Robert was a journeyman engineer.
Robert and Martha left Glasgow in 1908 as Robert went to work at the shipyard in Devonport, Plymouth, England. He was responsible for fitting out the large guns on the Royal Naval battleships which – according to family legend, included HMS Hood.6
Whilst in Plymouth, Robert and Martha had had three daughters and a son.7 The family left Devon and moved back to Scotland in 1918 and it was during this time, in Edinburgh, that Ronald was born.
When the Armistice, which ended WW1, was signed on the 11th November, 1918, Britain’s great ship-building industry began to wind down. As a result, Robert saw many men leave to pursue opportunities abroad in America. Many years later, Ronald Speirs would write, “my father was a Scotish Engineer who emigrated to the U.S. because of the lack of employment in the UK during the depression.”8
Initially, Robert travelled to America alone. So when he found work in Boston with Hunt Spiller Co., a company known for their high carbon gun iron, it would mark the start of a steady and profitable engineering career in the USA. Robert now began planning for the family to join him.
Martha and their five children boarded the SS Winifredian in Liverpool on 13th December, 1924,9 sailing for Boston to be reunited with Robert. The ship docked at Boston Harbour on Christmas morning, 1924.10
Once there, the family lived in the Suffolk County section of the city11 among a large population of recent immigrants, primarily of Scottish-Irish heritage.
Ronald’s early childhood
Ronald spent his child and early adulthood in Boston, though records show during the summer break, when Ronald was between 8th and 9th grades, he and his parents sailed back back to the UK on the MV Georgic, part of the Cunard White Star line, from Boston.12 The journey took them through New York and Galway in Ireland before docking in Liverpool on 25th June, 1934.13 They returned to Boston two months later.14
Ronald attended the Boston English High School, graduating in 1938.15 He later wrote, “my first experience with the military was in high school. Close order drill was taught by two regular army officers. They encouraged the students to attend Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC) during the summer vacation. CMTC for the infantry was held at Great Diamond Island in Portland, Maine.”16
After finishing high school, Ronald went on to study at Bentley College, graduating with a certificate in accounting17 which enabled him to find employment as a junior accountant.18
Adult Life
Ronald Speirs’ first marriage took place on 20th May 1944 to an English girl he met whilst stationed in Aldbourne, Wilshire, England.19 Speirs recalled, “before the invasion, I was sent down to Winchester to set up a camp for an infantry division coming up from Africa. There I met my English wife who was a member of the ATS, the British women’s service.”20 They married in the local village church of St Michaels at Aldbourne, where fellow paratroopers Lt Fredrick Heyliger and Lt Herbert Viertel acted as witnesses to the marriage.21
The girl Speirs married was a spinster and her marriage to Speirs was her first.22,23,24,25 After the war ended, she decided she could not bear to leave her close knit family to go to live in America.26 It is known that Speirs was terribly upset by this turn of events.27 It is also known that Speirs said she was the love of his life, and that he clearly always loved her.28,29
This marriage produced a son who was to be Speirs’ only child.30 Speirs never lost contact with his son Robert and remained a presence in his son’ life. In fact, as the boy grew up, contact between father and son also grew.31 It is known that Ronald Speirs accompanied his son to his first day of preparatory school in England and attended other significant events in his son’s life.32 Speirs was “treated as a member of the family” on these occasions.33
As grown man with children of his own, Robert and his family would often stay in America with his father and Speirs would “exchange visits with his son.”34 Speirs wrote many years later, “my son Robert, born in England during the war is a Major in the Royal Green Jackets” and continued “his three beautiful children are my pride and joy.”35
Ronald Speirs’ son retired from the British Army as a Lieutenant Colonel – the same rank as his father, and Speirs wrote, ”I am very proud of him.”36
Inaccurate information surrounding his marriage as published in the book Band of Brothers, upset and angered Speirs because “my English wife was not a widow as the book stated.”37 Speirs continued, “The other reference to her in the book was disparaging.” 38 Speirs also states, “I loved her and still do.”39
Speirs thought it would be “embarrassing” 40 to show his son the book and wrote “someone should have verified the facts with me before printing.”41 Subsequently, Speirs sent a copy of Band of Brothers to his son in which he wrote “there are stories in here you need to take with a pinch of salt.”42 As a result of these inaccuracies, Speirs declined to do any publicity interviews.43
The love and concern Speirs still felt towards his English wife, was once more shown as work began to adapt the book Band of Brothers into a TV show. Once again, he tried to protect her reputation. Speirs demanded “all comments about my English wife be eliminated”44 and states “this is all I care about.”45 Again he mentions, “she was not, as you stated a ‘widow’ at our marriage.”46 Speirs writes, “she was a wonderful person.”47
The passenger manifest of the Queen Mary shows Speirs leaving England in January of 1946 as a Company Commander with 82nd Airborne Division. After his return to the States, Speirs and his English wife were divorced under US law.48
Ronald second marriage – to a war widow whose first husband was killed in 1944 – took place on 8th May, 1950, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.49 It is unknown when this marriage was dissolved, but records show a third marriage on 12th July, 1958 in Berlin, Germany.50 This union is known to have lasted until divorce in 1966.51
It is unclear if Speirs had a life partner between his divorce in 1966 and final marriage – which took place in 1987 when he was 67 years old.
1. US Social Security Index 1935 – 2014
2. 1930 US Federal Census
3. 1901 Scotland Census
4. 1901 Scotland Census
5. 1911 England Census
6. Family statement
7. 1911 England Census
8. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
9. Massachusetts passenger and crew list 1820 – 1963
10. Massachusetts passenger and crew list 1820 – 1963
11. 1930 US Federal Census
12. UK Incoming passenger and crew list 1878 – 1960
13. UK Incoming passenger and crew list 1878 – 1960
14. Massachusetts passenger and crew list 1820 – 1963
15. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
16. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
17. Family statement
18. US City directories 1821 – 1989
19. England and Wales Marriage Index
20. Letter to Stephen Ambrose written by Ronald Speirs dated 29/01/81*
21. UK Marriage certificate
22. England and Wales Marriage Index
23. Family statement
24. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 27/05/92
25. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
26. Family statement
27. Family statement
28. Family statement
29. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 27/05/92
30. Engalnd and Wales Birth Index
31. Family statement
32. Family statement
33. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
34. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
35. Staement written by Ronald Speirs dated 21/06/91
36. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
37. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
38. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
39. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
40. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
41. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/92
42. Family statement
43. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronad Speirs dated 27/05/92
44. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
45. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
46. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
47. Letter to Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 07/05/99
48. Letter ro Richard Winters written by Ronald Speirs dated 08/05/99
49. Alabama marriage records
50. California divorce records
51. California divorce records"
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
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