Thomas Gillespie (rower)

Thomas Cunningham Gillespie (14 December 1892 – 18 October 1914) was a Scottish rower who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action in the First World War.

Olympic medal record
Men's rowing
1912 Stockholm Eight

Gillespie was the son of Thomas Paterson Gillespie and his wife Elizabeth Hall Chalmers of Longcroft Linlithgow. He was educated at Cargilfield Preparatory School Cramond Bridge, Winchester College and New College, Oxford.[1] He rowed for his college for three years when they were twice Head of the River and was a member of the New College eight which won the silver medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics.[2]

Gillespie obtained a university commission in the King's Own Scottish Borderers and joined them on the outbreak of the First World War. He served as a lieutenant in the First Battle of the Aisne. He was killed in action at La Bassée, aged 21.[3] His remains were not recovered and his name is recorded on the Le Touret Memorial nearby.[4] His brother Alexander Douglas Gillespie was also killed in the war and his letters are preserved.[1]

During an edition of BBC television's Countryfile screened on 9 November 2014, it was revealed that Gillespie is the great uncle of presenter Tom Heap.

See also

References
  1. Letters from Flanders, written by 2nd Lieut. A. D. Gillespie, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, to his home people; (1916)
  2. Sports Reference Olympic Sports – Thomas Gillespie
  3. "Olympians Who Were Killed or Missing in Action or Died as a Result of War". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  4. Gillespie, Thomas Cunningham, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 19 August 2008


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