About Helen Gillespie
Lived 1898 – 1974 (aged 76). Helen Gillespie was a British nurse.
Brigadier Dame Helen Shiels Gillespie, (26 March 1898 – 25 August 1974) was a British military nurse, matron and nursing administrator. She served as Matron-in-Chief of Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps from 1952 to 1956, and was Honorary Nursing Sister to The Queen.
Early life Gillespie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 26 March 1898 to Isabella (née Dunlop) and John Gillespie. She attended George Watson's Ladies' College, before going on to study nursing at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow from 1921 to 1925.
Nursing career In 1926, Gillespie joined Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service and served in India from 1927 to 1932, and again from 1934 to 1939.
During the Second World War she served in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. After the war she worked in the War Office and the British Army on the Rhine.
Gillespie was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1954.
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Helen Gillespie?
British military nurse (1898–1974)
When was Helen Gillespie born?
Helen Gillespie was born on 26 March 1898 in Edinburgh.
When did Helen Gillespie die?
Helen Gillespie died on 25 August 1974.
What was Helen Gillespie's occupation?
Helen Gillespie was a nurse.
What nationality was Helen Gillespie?
Helen Gillespie was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Helen Gillespie. https://biography.guide/helen-gillespie/
MLA: "Helen Gillespie." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helen-gillespie/.
Chicago: "Helen Gillespie." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helen-gillespie/.
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