The Royal Canadian Regiment and
The First World War - 1914-1919

Warrant Officer (Class I)
Joseph Charles Foy, D.C.M.

Regimental Sergeant Major, The RCR
6 Sep 1918 to 6 Feb 1919

RSM Joseph Foy, a.k.a. Thomas Carr, accrued 16 years of service with The Royal Canadian Regiment.

• P.F. service in Canada: 27 Jan 1906 to 26 Jan 1912; 19 Feb 1912 to 10 Sep 1914.
• Bermuda and England: 10 Sep 1914 to 31 Oct 1915.
• CEF service in France: 1 Nov 1915 to March 1917.
• CEF service in England; March 1917 to Jan 1918.
• CEF service in France: Jan 1918 to Feb 1919.

Details of Service:

• Born London, Middlesex, England; 25 Feb 1880
• Enlisted in The RCR; 27 Jan 1906. Regimental number 8227.
• Re-enlisted in The RCR at Quebec, Que; 14 Feb 1912
• Medically examined for re-engagement; 26 Jul 1915
• Attested at Halifax for overseas service with the CEF as a Sergeant of The RCR. Described on attestation form as 5-foot 8 3/4 inches in eight, with a fair complexion, hazel eyes and light brown hair. His religion was recorded as Church of England. Civilian trade: Baker; 25 Aug 1915. CEF service number 477317.
• Date from which overseas service commenced; 26 Aug 1915
• Foy completed a military will form, identifying his next of kin as: Mrs Leah Foy, 9 Anna Terrace, Dunston-on-Tyne, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, England; 13 Oct 1915
• Disembarked Boulogne with The RCR; 1 Nov 1915
• Promoted C.Q.M.S. vice C.Q.M.S. H. Jones; 29 Mar 1916
• Promoted WO Class II (Substantive); 3 Dec 1916
• Appointed Acting Coy. Sgt. Maj, with pay of rank; Feb 1917
• Promotion to Warrant Officer Class II and appointment of Sergeant Major confirmed, with effect from 3 Dec 1916
• Sick, admitted to No. 10 Cdn Field Ambulance; 20 Jan 1917
• Admitted to No. 22 Gen Hosp. Camiers (P.U.O.); 28 Jan 1917. P.U.O. is a nonspecific diagnosis of Pyrexia (fever) of Unknown Origin.
• Transferred to CCAC, Hastings; 4 Feb 1917
• Admitted East Leeds War Hospital, Harehills Rd, Leeds (P.U.O.); 5 Feb 1917 and taken on strength of the Canadian Corps Reinfocement Centre (C.C.A.C.). Treated for Trench Fever (5 Feb to 21 Feb 1917)
• Transferred to Can Conv Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom (P.U.O.); 22 Feb 1917
• On Command to 2nd C.C.D., Bramshott; 3 Mar 1917
• Treated for Myalgia; 6 Mar to 27 Mar 1917
• Admitted to the Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital, Buxton, Derby (P.U.O.); 7 Mar 1917
• Struck off the strength of the C.C.A.C. on transfer to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot; 10 Mar 1917
• Discharged from Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital, Buxton; 27 Mar 1917
• Ceases to be attached to 2nd C.C.D. on return to the 26th Res Bn, Hastings; 1 Jun 1917
• TOS 17th Res Bn from the 26th Res Bn, Bramshott; 15 Oct 1917
• SOS the 17th Res Bn on transfer to The RCR in the field as a Company Sergeant Major and proceeded overseas to France on this date; 11 Jan 1918
• Joins The RCR in the field; 14 Mar 1918
• Appointed Acting RSM vice 477784 RSM JR Roberts; 6 Sep 1918
• Promoted WO Class I (Substantive); 7 Sep 1918
• Granted 14 days leave; 14 Oct 1918. Returned from leave; 4 Nov 1918
• SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 1 JANUARY, 1919; Awarded the D.C.M. - 477317 C./S./M. J. Foy, R. Can. R; (LG 31092 dated 1 Jan 1919 and LG 31534 dated 3 Sep 1919)
• S.O.S. The RCR to the Canadian Record List; 6 Feb 1919
• T.O.S. The RCR from the Cdn Record List; 8 Feb 1919
• S.O.S. The RCR on embarkation for return to Canada; 1 Mar 1919
• Returned to Canada; 9 Mar 1919
• T.O.S. No. 6 District Depot from Overseas and posted to Disposal Station B; 9 Mar 1919
• S.O.S. on transfer to Base Depot R.C.R., Halifax; 9 Mar 1919
• 477317 RSM Joseph Charles Foy is discharged from the CEF at Halifax on demobilization; 16 Mar 1919
• Promoted to the rank of WO Class I and confirmed in the appointment of Regimental Sergeant Major on 3 Jan 1920; both with effect from 7 Sep 1918.
• Identifies next of kin on discharge medical form as: Miss M. Foy, 33 Manor Place, Staines, Middlesex, England; 25 Apr 1922
• Medical disability at time of release described as "Moderate weakness – necessity for rest and treatment – unable to carry on duties as soldier." Recommendation: “That he be discharged from Permanent Force as medically unfit, and transferred to D.S.C.R. for further treatment; 25 Apr 1922
• Deceased; 4 Jan 1955
• Death of Mrs Victoria Maud Foy, widow of the late RSM Joseph Charles Foy. Mrs Foy's address at the time of her death was 3 Broome Lodge, Kingston Rd, Staines, Middlesex, England; 1 Mar 1982

Citation for the Distinguished Conduct Medal

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 3 SEPTEMBER, 1919; Issue number: 31534, Page number: 11176

477317 C./S./M. J. Foy, R. Can. R. - For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as company serjeant-major and latterly as regimental serjeant-major. He has performed exceptionally valuable service in the line throughout the past year, never missing a trip, and his great personal gallantry, initiative and energy are largely reponsible for the efficient manner in which front line companies always had their rations delivered to them. By his unfailing reliability in the performance of his duties in the line he was of the greatest assistance to his battalion commander.

Pro Patria

• The O'Leary Collection; Medals of The Royal Canadian Regiment.
• Researching Canadian Soldiers of the First World War
• Researching The Royal Canadian Regiment
• The RCR in the First World War
• Badges of The RCR
• The Senior Subaltern
• The Minute Book (blog)
• Rogue Papers
• Tactical Primers
• The Regimental Library
• Battle Honours
• Perpetuation of the CEF
• A Miscellany
• Quotes
• The Frontenac Times
• Site Map
• e-mail

 The RCR in the Great War
 War Diary
 Battle Honours
 Battle Bars and The RCR
 The RCR Battle Bar Ledger (pdf)

---

 Honours and Awards
 Roll of Honour
 Prisoners of War
 Cemetery List
 Cemetery Map
 Courts Martial

---

 Officers
 RSMs of The RCR (1914-1919)
 NCOs and Soldiers

---

 An Officer's Diary (1914-1918)
 Recollections of a Nonagenerian (R. England) (1916-1919)
 On to Bermuda (1914-15)
  England and France 1915-1916 (Hayes; 1931)
 Overseas with The Royals (1915)
 Regimental History Pamphlet (1917)
 Amiens (1918)
 Cambrai (1918)
 Monchy-le-Preux (1918)

---

 Badges - Signs of the Times

---

 Under-aged Soldiers in The RCR
 Not All Were Volunteers; The RCR and the Military Service Act
 Sentenced to Death by Court Martial
 The 7th Trench Mortar Battery
 A Regimental Goat
 Regiment and Family, Bermuda 1914-15
 "March the Guilty Bastard In"
 Surrendered as Stowaway
 Re-Visiting the Great War Roll of Honour for The RCR

---

 Canadian Corps Trench Standing Orders (1916)

---