Charles Keys was born on 22 January 1891 in Southborough, England. His parents, John Keys and Sarah Winder, did not marry but lived together for 16 years and welcomed 11 children to the household. Soon after John passed away in 1902, teenage Chas was sent to live with the family of Harry and Alice Kates in Woking. A note on Chas’ service record suggests that life had been difficult until moving in with the Kates, whom he went to live with “when he was about 14 years of age. They acted as foster-parents to him. He remained with them about 4 1/2 years and then left and went to Australia”.
In 1911, 20-year old Chas decided it was time to set out on his own and he emigrated to Western Australia, arriving in Fremantle in May. He made his way to the Mid-West coastal town of Geraldton where he found work as a station hand. In 1914 Chas played for the Moonyconooka football club, who qualified for the Hansen Cup final where they were defeated 2-0 by Thistle.
Chas enlisted with the 11th Battalion in April 1915, serving as a Private. His unit left Fremantle in the first week of June and landed at Gallipoli on 4 August.
Chas was 24-years old when he was killed in action on 6 August. He was buried among the 11th Battalion dead at Shell Green Cemetery, Gallipoli, just south of ANZAC Cove.
Chas had never forgotten the kindness of Harry and Alice Kates; his Will instructing that any moneys owning to him at the time of his death be paid to their three children, Dolly, Violet and Gladys. In 1922 it came to light that his mother, Sarah, was living in Canada with one of his sisters, Louise, and that a brother, Thomas, had served in France.