Shoeing Smith William John Gillespie
William John Gillespie was born on 18 March 1896 at Deerfin, Ballyclug, near Ballymena, County Antrim, the first of six children of labourer Josias Gillespie and his wife Elizabeth (née Allen). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at nearby Ballycreggy with his parents and siblings.
Gillespie enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 31 May 1916 (No.2185 – later Corps of Hussars No.71710). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France on 18 June 1917. There he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, which at the time was attached as corps cavalry to VII Corps. Soon after it was attached to XIX Corps, the V Corps. In February-March 1918 the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
Gillespie saw action with the regiment during the Advance to Victory offensive from August to November 1918. He was wounded on 7 November, just days before the Armistice.
On 27 February 1919 at Rouen Gillespie re-enlisted, in the Corps of Hussars (No.79083 – later Army No.533842) – and was posted to the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars. He returned to the UK the following month. He served with the Hussars in India from 18 November 1919 to 13 October 1920, then in Mesopotamia (awarded the General Service Medal and Iraq Clasp). He returned to the UK on 12 April 1921 and was discharged a month later. At the time he held the rank of shoeing smith. His military character was recorded as 'very good'.
Following his discharge Gillespie returned to Ballycreggy and worked as a horse-shoer. On 15 August 1921 he married Maggie Johnston at Glenwherry Presbyterian Church, County Antrim. He later emigrated to Canada, at one point living at 232 Harbison Avenue, Clemwood, Winnipeg.