Percy Ernest Virgoe was the son of William Richard Neil Virgoe (d.1902) and his wife, Harriette Mary nee McCulloch. William, Percy's father, was the owner of Mathoura Station, N.S.W. and had a keen interest in horse racing, especially steeple-chasing. However Percy was born in 1884 in East Melbourne. As yet it has not been possible to identify the exact address, although his older brother, William Arthur, was born at 137 Albert Street (later 342 Albert Street, but now demolished). It was a large house with nine bedrooms and at the time it seemed to be operating as a boarding house, and also as a 'Juvenile School' run by a Mrs Muir.
By the time of his enlistment on 28 August 1914 Percy was living at Edenhope with his mother and working as a stock and station agent and had had 5.5 years previous military experience with the V.S.R. He embarked with the 4th Light Horse regiment for Egypt on 22 October 1914. This regiment had been formed on 11 August as the divisional cavalry regiment for the 1st Australian Division. The light horse were considered unsuitable for the initial operations at Gallipoli, but were later used without their horses to reinforce the infantry. Percy was admitted to hospital with rheumatism on 26 September and returned to England where he was admitted to hospital in Bristol with 'debility'. He proceeded to join the Middle Eastern Forces in Alexandria but was repatriated to Australia on 8 May 1916 suffering from dysentry, and discharged on 28 July 1916, medically unfit, again with 'debility'.
He re-enlisted on 15 November 1916 and was appointed to the 26th Reinforcements of the 4th Light Horse as a corporal. He embarked for Devonport on 11 May 1917. He was attached for duty at Tedworth. On 22 July 1918 he was admitted to hospital with influenza, was discharged for duty four days later. He proceeded to France on 13 November 1918 for duty in pay office, Havre. He was temporarily attached to the 39th General Hospital for Rations and on 22 january 1919 he returned to London, to the Paymasters Office. On 8 April 1919 he was admitted to hospital again. He returned to Australia on 13 April 1919 and was discharged on 22 August 1919 medically unfit with sciatica.