Hope was educated at Dumfries Academy and at Edinburgh University, where he qualified M.B., Ch.B. in 1904. He gained a temporary commission in the R.A.M.C. at the rank of Lieutenant in June 1916, then entered the war in France in November the same year. He gained promotion to Temporary Captain in June 1917. Hope was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished service in the Birthday Honours of June 1918. He was wounded and invalided back to the UK to a military hospital in Leicester. Hope was the son of Rev. J E Gillespie, minister of Kirkgunzeon.