David Howell Charles was born in Llangyfelach, Wales in 1886. His parents were David Charles born in 1852 in Llangyfelach and Sarah Phillips born in 1853 in Dyffryn Clydach. David Charles and Sarah Phillips were married in Neath in 1880. He was one of five siblings, Phillip James born in 1881, Margaret Ann born in 1883, David Howell born in 1886, Thomas Minet born in 1888 and George Edward born in 1890.

In the 1891 census the family are living in Llangyfelach and David senior is a copper smelter. By the time of the daughter Margaret's marriage to Evan Jones in 1906 David senior is a stocktaker.

In the 1911 census David Howell Charles is living together with his brother George with their sister Margaret and her husband Evan Jones in Skewen, near Neath. David is working as a general labourer, underground. He had married Mary Jane in about 1909 but she is not with him on that census.

David enlisted in the Welsh Regiment and died on the 28th December 1914 at a military hospital, Tynley Hall in Rotherwick Hampshire. His death certificate states that he died of cardiac failure whilst under administration of chloroform while being operated on for shrapnel wounds.

The informant on his death was his Uncle David Phillips of 1 St. David's Terrace, Neath Abbey, Glamorgan and this was also given as David Charles' address. It also stated on the death certificate that he had been a coal miner.

David Charles is buried in the churchyard in Rotherwick, Hampshire - near where the military hospital had been at Tynley Hall.