727040 Pte. Joseph McCoy was born on May 23rd, 1879 in Lucknow, Ontario.
A painter by trade, Joseph attested into the 110th (Perth) Battalion at Stratford, Ontario, on November 15th, 1915. His service record shows that he sailed to England from Halifax on October 31st, 1916, aboard the SS Caronia, arriving in Liverpool on November 11th.
Posted to the 8th Reserve Battalion, Shoreham, on December 31st, Joseph was transferred to the 4th CMR on April 21st, 1917, and proceeded to France, joining the 4th CMR in the field at Mericourt on May 11th.
It is known that he was on leave in England between 4th and 19th of January 1918, and served with the regimet without notable incident until August 26th, when he received wounds to the face from a shell burst at Arras. He was evacuated to 8th Field Ambulance.
Admitted to the 25th General Hospital, Hardelot, on the 27th, he was thence evacuated to England aboard HS St.Denis on September 2nd. Posted to the 1st Central Ontario Regimental Depot, Witley, for administrative purposes, he was admitted to the 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge, the same day and would play no further part in the war.
Transferred to Woodcote Park Convalescent Hospital, Epsom, on December 10th, 1918, Joseph was subsequently discharged to duty on January 20th, 1919, and attached to the CCD at Witley he was posted to the 3rd Reserve Battalion, on February 11th.
Then attached to Canadian Corps Camp, Kinmell Park, on March 12th, pending repatriation to Canada, he finally boarded the Empress of Britain at Liverpool on March 23rd and arrived into St. John, New Brunswick, on the 31st.
Joseph was finally discharged due to demobilization at London, Ontario, on April 2nd, 1919. Living a full life, Joseph passed away in Lucknow, in 1954.
Joseph had two brothers serving at the same time as him: Earl McCoy of the 1st Central Ontario Regiment, and Wellington McCoy of the 135th (Middlesex) Battalion, CEF. Both also survived the war.
Biography with thanks to Jim Busby.