Charles Edward Payne was born in Luton in 1866. He married Sarah Ann Howe in 1892.

In 1911 they are living at 98 Baker Street. Charles is 46 years old and a straw worker. Sarah is 48 and also a straw worker at home. They had been married for 19 years but had had no children. Sarah's mother, Ann, a 60-year-old widow, is also living with them.

Charles joined the Royal Defence Corps, 72nd Protection Company. It was formed in August 1917 and was composed of soldiers that were either medically unfit or too old for active service on the front line. The regiment provided home service duties such as troops for guarding important places including ports, bridges and even prisoner-of-war camps. It was reported in the Luton News on 27th April 1915 that Charles was on railway duties at the Midland Railway, Irchester, Northampton.

Charles died on November 22nd, 1918, at Chatham Hospital in Kent from pneumonia after contracting influenza, just 11 days after the armistice.

A funeral with full military honours took place at the cemetery on Crawley Green Road, on Friday, November 29th, 1918. The coffin was borne on a gun carriage from Biscot, and buglers and a firing party attended from the Royal Field Artillery.