Photo: Geordie at War Project

In Gateshead (Saltwell) Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:

In
loving memory of
Rebecca
the beloved wife of
John MacCoy
who died May 24th 1914
aged 67 years.
Mayoress of Gateshead 1913 & 1914.
Also the above
Alderman Sir John MacCoy
Kt., D.L., J.P.
who died November 25th 1935
aged 92 years.
Also of Percy son of the above
who was killed in action in France
September 13th 1917 Aged 31 years
Also Rebecca Leeming
youngest daughter of the above
September 24th 1888
May 18th 1957

Also Daisy Gertrude daughter of the above
Who died December 22nd 1964 aged 84 years.

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Born on 17th February 1886 in North Shields, Percy was the ninth of the eleven children (4 girls and 7 boys) born to Bishop Auckland couple John and Rebecca (nee Leeming) MacCoy. They had married in 1965 and their first daughter Jane Hannah born a year later. The youngest sibling was Rebecca born in 1888. The family had moved from Bishop Auckland to Darlington to Stockton-on-Tees and South Shields, before settling north of the Tyne for the birth of the three youngest children. By 1891 they were living at 55 Larkspur Terrace, Jesmond and father was still working as a marine engineer. Along with some of his brothers Percy attended Dame Allen’s School in Newcastle but by 1901 having finished his education and not having found work, was one of only six of the children still living at home in Springfield, Durham Road, Gateshead.

On 24th June 1905 Percy left Liverpool on board the SS Umbria making for a new life in Canada as a farmer. Seven years later in August 1912 he was joined in Regina, Saskatchewan by Laura Evelyn Harding his intended wife from Gateshead. They were married a year later and their daughter Sylvia Ruth was born in 1915. Percy had been working as a carpenter and had also been a volunteer militia man with the 10th Royal Grenadiers Regiment.On 11th April 1916 Percy McCoy became Private 07790 of the 195th (City Of Regina) Battalion when he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force under the command of Lieut-Col. A. C. Garner.

Arriving back in England in mid November the battalion was absorbed into the 32nd Reserve Battalion and posted to East Sandling Camp, Kent where Percy was promoted to Acting Lance Corporal. Just two weeks later he voluntarily reverted to being a Private and proceeded to France with the 5th Battalion as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. Attached to the 1st Entrenching Battalion in Le Havre where they received training as an infantry battalion but also acted as labour battalions for the Canadian Corps, Private MacCoy didn’t join the 5th until 13th April at Bois Carre on the Vimy Ridge.

Taken ill whilst based at Neuville St Vaast at the end of June Percy was admitted to 1st Field Ambulance Station where he remained for two weeks. Rejoining his unit by September they were fighting n the front line and the War Diary for the 5th Battalion reads “Killed in action, While with his company proceeding to the front line trenches [ north west of Angres] about 7.00pm on September 13th 1917, he was instantly killed by the explosion of an enemy shell”.

The grave of Percy MacCoy was registered as being just south west of Lens (map reference Sheet 44a N19b27. After the war, his remains either could not be positively identified or the grave could not be located.

His wife and daughter had returned to live in Gateshead in 1916, but in 1921 returned to live in Canada. Laura died in Alberta in 1959 and Ruth in 1995.

Percy’s father, John MacCoy was a wealthy ship builder and served eight terms as mayor of that between 1912 - 1923. Knighted in 1922. Four years later he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Gateshead, became and Honorary Freeman and died in 1935.

Percy MacCoy is remembered at Gateshead on G39.004 and in Fenham on F31.01

In Canada he is remembered on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance, and on the Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Maccoy