July 8, 1907 – December 12, 1947

A portrait of James Thomas Gillespie 1907-07-18 to 1947-12-12

James Thomas “Tom” Gillespie was born on July 8, 1907, in Oudtshoorn, Cape Province, South Africa. He was the fifth of eight children born to Edward Alfred Gillespie and Maria Dorothy Terblanche.

His siblings included:

  • Arthur Edward Gillespie (1897–1952) Brother
  • Percy Alfred Gillespie (1899–1957) Brother
  • Mary Ann Evelina Gillespie (1902–1903) Sister
  • John Peter Gillespie (1904–1949) Brother
  • Susan Gillespie (1910–1911) Sister
  • Joseph Benjamin Gillespie (1914–1969) Brother
  • Maria Dorothea Gillespie (1918–1918) Sister

In 1928, at the age of 21, Tom enlisted with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles (D.E.O.R.) in Cape Town. During his service, he trained as a barber—a skill he continued to practice after returning to civilian life in Woodstock, Cape Town.

In 1929, he married Helena Maria Aletta Langenhoven in Cape Town. The couple had three children:

Following the outbreak of World War II, Tom re-enlisted in 1939 with the Union Defence Force. He served on active duty during the conflict and was awarded several military honours for his service. Specific details of these awards are not readily available but are noted in military records.

In early 1947 Tom left the military and relocated to Kimberley, Cape Province. On December 12, 1947, James Thomas Gillespie passed away at the age of 40 in Kimberley, Cape Province, South Africa, where he was buried. He was survived by his wife, Helena, and their three children, which had remained in Goodwood, Cape Town. Helena remarried a few months after Tom passed away.