Charles was born at Ballarat in 1894 to Samuel Gladman and Caroline Stevenson.

Charles was a labourer in Bacchus Marsh, VIC when he enlisted in the AIF, 8^th Battalion on the 12^th of September 1914, aged 20. He embarked aboard the HMAT A24 Benalla in October, disembarking in Egypt in December. Charles landed at Gallipoli on the 25^th of April 1915. In June he spent two weeks in hospital with influenza - at Mudros. He returned to Egypt in January 1916.

Charles disembarked in France at the end of April 1916 and a few weeks later was involved in the Battle of Pozieres, where he was wounded in action on the 26^th of June and admitted to Shorncliffe Military Hospital, England - shrapnel wounds to head, arms and thigh, severe. Charles rejoined his unit in August 1917. Not long afterwards, on the 4^th of October, during the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge, Charles was again wounded in action. He was admitted to County Middlesex War Hospital, St Albans, England later in October - head wound, severe - and then the 1^st Auxiliary Hospital.

Charles embarked for Australia aboard the Kanowna in December 1917 and was discharged from the AIF in March 1918 - medically unfit, loss of left eye and right eye vision nearly gone.

Charles died in Ballarat, VIC in 1948, aged 54.

He is listed on the Roll of Honour for Bacchus Marsh, held by the RSL at Bacchus Marsh.