Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Tomlinson Gillespie, one of 8 children, of whom only 4 survived, was the youngest of 2 brothers and had 2 younger sisters. His father George Gillespie was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1853, mother Amelia Rebecca Tomlinson, October 4th 1863, district of Everton, Lancashire, they were married in 1889.
By 1893 they had migrated to the north east settling in County Durham where son Robert was born in 1893 at Crawcrook, as was John Tomlinson in 1895, their sister Mary at Chopwell in 1906 and Ada at Prudhoe in 1910. The family was living in 3 rooms at Halfway House Prudhoe in 1911, George was employed as a coal hewer, Robert (17) and John (15), underground, as drivers.
John Tomlinson Gillespie was one of the first to enlist upon the raising of new regimental battalions after war was declared in August 1914. He was assigned as Private 1046 to the 20th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, formed at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, a Pals battalion, part of Kitchener’s New Armies. The recruits trained at Newcastle before moving to Alnwick camp in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, January 29th 1915, then on to Ripon, Yorkshire, in June 1915 as part of the 34th Division and lastly arriving at Salisbury Plain for final training in late August 1915.
Private Gillespie departed with his regiment as of January 1916 attached to the 34th Division which congregated at La Crosse, east of St Omer. After a period of trench familiarisation they made their way to the Somme in preparation for the forthcoming battles. The opening battle of the Somme due to commence June 29th 1916 was delayed until July 1st by bad weather. The 20th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers were in action on the first day during the Battle of Albert. At 7.28am two huge mines were detonated under the German lines, one to the south and one to the north of the village of La Boisselle which signalled the beginning of the attack. The 20th Battalion had 500 yards to cover under heavy machine gun fire, nevertheless, capturing Scots and Sausage Redoubts. The battalion lost 26 officers and 564 men.
Initially reported as missing, Private 1046 John Tomlinson Gillespie Northumberland Fusiliers, was struck off and deemed to have been killed in action, July 1st 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,318 names of British and South African forces inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating those who died on the Somme before March 1918 and who have no known grave. He was 21 years of age and single.
His father George received all monies due to him from the Army and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 5, North View, North Walbottle, Newburn, Northumberland, the family later moved to 12, Eversleigh Place, Throckley, Newburn.
Although his elder brother was also eligible to serve during WW! no record has been found.
George Gillespie died in 1933, district of Castle Ward, Northumberland aged 74 years, Amelia Rebecca Gillespie nee Tomlinson possibly, August 21st 1941, Dartford, Kent, aged 77 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Tomlinson Gillespie is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
