Thomas Gillespie (rower)
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's rowing | ||
 |
1912 Stockholm | Eight |
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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3]
Gillespie obtained a university commission in the King's Own Scottish Borderers and joined them on the outbreak of the First World War. He was a lieutenant in the First Battle of the Aisne. He was killed in action at La Bassée, aged 21.[4] His remains were not recovered. His name is recorded on the Le Touret Memorial nearby.[5] His brother Alexander Douglas Gillespie was also killed in the war, and his letters are preserved.[2]
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
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Thomas Gillespie". Olympedia. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ a b Letters from Flanders, written by 2nd Lieut. A. D. Gillespie, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, to his home people; (1916)
- ^ Sports Reference Olympic Sports – Thomas Gillespie
- ^ "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.
- ^ Gillespie, Thomas Cunningham, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 19 August 2008
External links
[edit]
- Letters from Flanders, written by 2nd Lieut. A. D. Gillespie, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, to his home people; (1916) Photo of Gillespie and his last letter home
- Thomas Gillespie at World Rowing
- Thomas Gillespie at Olympics.com
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- 1892 births
- 1914 deaths
- People educated at Winchester College
- Alumni of New College, Oxford
- Scottish male rowers
- Olympic rowers for Great Britain
- Rowers at the 1912 Summer Olympics
- Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain
- King's Own Scottish Borderers officers
- British military personnel killed in World War I
- Olympic medalists in rowing
- People educated at Cargilfield School
- Scottish Olympic competitors
- Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics
- British Army personnel of World War I
- 20th-century Scottish sportsmen
- Scottish Olympic medallist stubs
- British rowing biography stubs
- Scottish sportspeople stubs