The second son of John McCance, he was born at Ashley, Dunmurry, Co Antrim, on 11 Mar 1893.  He was educated at St Bees and Queen's College Oxford (BA 1915).  He served with the Royal Engineers.

He married Frances Mary Neill in 1920 and they had at least two children.  One was J Neill McCance, (c1928-2006) and the other(s) we know nothing about.