Great War officer’s pair awarded to Captain T. Gillespie. One of two possible recipients, research would indicate this is the medical officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps, who was present out on the Western Front from January 1918, however the other recipient is an Acting Captain in the Royal Garrison Artillery, who was present out in Egypt from February 1917, being then awarded a Mention in Despatches in June 1918.
Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (CAPT. T. GILLESPIE.)
Condition: Good Very Fine or better.
Thomas Gillespie was born on 30th December 1875 in Morpeth, Northumberland, and was educated at Morpeth Grammar School followed by Cambridge University in St. John’s College, where he studied from 1894 on wards, gaining his B.A. in 1897, he then went on to study medicine, and gained his M.B., B.C. and M.A. in 1902. He was a House Physician at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in from 1900, and was also a M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. from 1900. He then went on to work as an Assistant House Physician at the Metropolitan Hospital, and as of 1911 was living in Southampton. During the Great War he saw service as a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and was present out on the Western Front from 21st January 1918 onwards. He then went on to work as a Consulting Physician with Southampton Children’s Hospital, and by 1939 was living in Salisbury and shown as retired, and he died on 16th September 1944.
Research would suggest that this is the man to whom the above pair of medals were awarded, however it is worth noting that there is one other possible recipient, who was also called Thomas Gillespie, who saw service as a Gunner later Acting Captain in the Royal Garrison Artillery, and was present out in Egypt from 10th February 1917, being then awarded a Mention in Despatches for gallant and distinguished services, as announced in the London Gazette for 5th June 1918.
