Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Henry Coy, an agricultural labourer, born 1861 in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire and his wife Sarah Coy (nee Smith, married in the 2nd quarter of 1884 in the Grantham, Lincolnshire district), born 1861 in Coston, Leicestershire. William Henry was born in the 4th quarter of 1894 in Barrowby, Lincolnshire, and was baptised on the 14th October 1894 in the Parish Church, Barrowby, his siblings were, Mary Ann, born 1889 in Denton, Lincolnshire, Harriett, born 1891, Susan, born 1893, Lizzie, born 1897 and Cyril, born 1900, the latter four siblings were all born in Barrowby, in March 1901 the family home was at Breeder Hills, Sedgebrook Road, Barrowby. In April 1911William was absent from the family home at May’s Row, Muston, Leicestershire, residing there was his father, an ironstone labourer, his mother and siblings, Lizzie, Cyril, a schoolboy, Walter, a schoolboy, born 1901 and Albert Edward, a schoolboy, born 1904, the latter two siblings were both born in Barrowby and Cecil, born 1906 in Bottesford, Leicestershire, William was employed as a farm cowman and was residing as a servant at The Bull Hotel, Bottesford. William also had a half blood sibling, John Smith, born 1880 and an older sibling, Arthur, born 1885. William first entered the theatre of war in France on the 22nd July 1915, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals.