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Victory Medal
Biography
Private CoIin Francis McKinnon was born October 25, 1895 in Roxbury, Suffolk Massachusetts. He was the son of Angus L. McKinnon and Ann McGillivray, both of Antigonish County. By 1911, his family had moved to Canada and were living in St. Andrews, Antigonish County. McKinnon’s brother John Thompson McKinnon also served in the First Word War. Prior to enlistment, MacKinnon worked as a labourer in New Glasgow, Pictou County.
McKinnon enlisted in the 18th Field Battery Janurary 20, 1916 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He arrived in Liverpool, April 12, 1916. He was transfered to the 3rd Canadian Division in Milford on May 25, 1916 and was sent to France the following month on July 14, 1916. McKinnon served as a brakeman with the 3rd Division Train on Decemeber 13, 1916. He was then posted to the 1st Division train unit as a loader from March 12 to May 1, 1917. McKinnon was discharged due to demobolization in Halifax on March 31, 1919.
Following the war, McKinnon moved to Boston, Massachusetts where he worked as a police officer. He married Mary Martha MacNeil of Centreville, Nova Scotia in Newton, Massachusetts on May 15, 1928. They resided in Boston and had four children; Margaret, Edwin, Colin Francis and Anne. McKinnon died September 17, 1962 in Massachusetts.
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