Charles William Cross was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, on 14th February 1885. He was the son of James and Lucy Cross. In 1901, the family were living in Rosehill Road, Ipswich, and Charles was working as an engineer’s fitter for Ransomes at the Orwell Works. By 1911 he had changed jobs and was employed as an engine-fitter at St Audry’s Hospital, lodging with the Newson family at Number 2, Hackney Terrace. Towards the end of 1911, Charles married Dorothy Webster, a laundry maid at St Audry’s Hospital. The couple had two children.

St Audry’s employment records show that Charles was working there when war broke out and that he served with the Royal Garrison Artillery. It has not been possible to identify any military records for Charles, but he would, as a minimum, have received the British War and Victory Medals for his war service.

By 1939 Charles and Dorothy were living in Bexley, Kent, where he was working as an engineering fitter at the Gun Carriage Works at the Royal Arsenal. He died in 1956.