Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: John Maitland Gillespie

Ancestor's date of birth: 16/12/1867

Ancestor's date of death: 20/08/1946

Cause of Death: Coronary Occlusion

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born in Blenheim, New Zealand, was working in South Africa when the war broke out.

Service Number: 4

Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia Place of Enlistment: Capetown, South Africa

Unit: Kimberley Light Horse

Rank attained in Boer War: CAPT, Date Effective: 01/01/1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CAPT, Date Effective: 01/08/1916

Murray Page: Not Applicable, did not serve in an Australian unit.

Contingent: Not Applicable

Ship: Was already in South Africa

Other Boer War Service: Served in the Western Light Horse

Memorial details: Details not applicable

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal and clasps, King's South Africa Medal with clasps, 1902 Coronation Medal, British War Medal, General Service Medal

Personal Characteristics: 192 cm tall. A dedicated soldier.

Reasons to go and fight: Patriotism and being in the theatre already. Had had service pre Boer War in the NZ Army Reserve

Details of service in war: Joined Kimberley Light Horse as No4 Sergeant Gillespie in 1899, served at the Defence of Kimberley under Colonel Kekewich, at Paadeburg and the Relief of Mafeking under Colonel Mahon then operations in the Western Transvaal. Later in the war he joined the Western Light Horse as a Captain operating mainly in Cape Colony. He was a representative of WLH at the Coronation Contingent in 1902

Service and life after the Boer War: After return to New Zealand he joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1916 as no 16298 Samoan Relief Force and served in the Samoa Garrison as Provost Marshall being promoted Captain 1 June 1918 and remained in Samoa until struck of the strength of the force 1 May 1920 and posted to the unattached list.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Rodney Maitland Gillespie, Pymble NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson

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