Robert Gillespie was born in Comber, County Down. He joined the army in 1783 and served in the West Indies. He fought a duel in which William Barrington was killed, though Gillespie was acquitted of murder. He next went to India, where he is said to have suppressed a mutiny at Vellore and was in command of cavalry which fought Runjeet-Singh in 1809. He was appointed military governor of the island of Java and in 1812 was part of the force which conquered Sumatra. He was promoted to the rank of major-general, but was killed in action in Nepal in 1814. He was knighted posthumously. His monument is in the square, Comber, County Down.

Born:	21 January 1766
Died:	31 October 1814