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Oct 31, 1875
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Born in Hastings County, Ontario to John and
Christina Gillespie
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May 10, 1916
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Attested into the CASC (Canadian Army Service
Corps) Reinforcements in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 514916
Ø Next of kin given as Christina Gillespie, mother, Plainfield, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Baker
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Church of England
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Jul 15, 1916
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Embarked the SS Empress of Britain in Halifax, Nova
Scotia
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Jul 25, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded
to Shorncliffe where he was TOS (Taken On Strength) the CASC TD (Canadian Army Service
Corps Training Depot) in Shorncliffe
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Aug 8, 1916
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Transferred to the CASC in Bramshott
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Sep 7, 1916
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Admitted to the Military Hospital in Bramshott
with a diagnosis that reads Cramps
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Sep 12, 1916
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Discharged to duty from hospital
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May 30, 1917
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Transferred to the CASC District Depot in
Shorncliffe
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Aug 3, 1917
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Transferred to the CASC Regimental Depot in
Shorncliffe
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Aug 15, 1917
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Transferred to the 6th Reserve
Battalion in Seaford
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Oct 17, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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Oct 18, 1917
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Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry
Base Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a draft of 19 reinforcements from England and
TOS the 21st Battalion
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Oct 22, 1917
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Left the base depot and joined the CC Rein C
(Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Calonne Ricouart
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Nov 6, 1917
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Left Calonne Ricouart to join the battalion,
traveling via train to Poperinghe, Belgium. The
battalion had been fighting at Passchendaele, but by the time he arrived, the battalion
had moved south. He then travelled by bus and
foot to join the 21st Battalion
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Nov 20, 1917
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Joined the 21st Battalion in billets
in Camblain L’Abbe, France
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Apr 2, 1918
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While in the front
line trench northwest of Neuville Vitasse, the battalion came under a heavy artillery
barrage overnight April 1-2 and Private Gillespie was killed. His body was never recovered from the battlefield
and as such, he is commemorated on the walls of the Canadian National Vimy Ridge Memorial,
Vimy Ridge, France
Following the war the
British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial
Cross were sent to his mother, Mrs. C. Gillespie, Plainfield, Ontario
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