Charles Addis was born in Weobley, Herefordshire on 14th March 1919, the fourth child of Eli and Annie Alice Addis.  In 1921 his father was an agricultural labourer working for the Morris family at Upperton Farm, Yazor.  By 1939, the family were living at 11 Hilton Road, Poolbrook, Malvern – Eli was still working the land.

During the late 1930s, Charles joined the Royal Navy.  He joined HMS Glorious a  Courageous-class battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy during the First World War.  She was converted as an aircraft carrier in 1924.  

During the Second World War HMS Glorious was involved in the Norwegian campaign. She was was sunk by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau while evacuating British aircraft from Norway, along with HMS Acasta and HMS Ardent.  The total killed or missing was 1,207 from Glorious, 160 from Acasta and 152 from Ardent, a total of 1,519.

Glorious photographed in May 1940 from the deck of Ark Royal; the destroyer with her is Diana