Charles was born in Holwell in 1893. His father, Alfred, was an ironstone quarryman. His mother, Sarah Jane, had at least 3 other sons and 2 daughters.

Charles was still living in Holwell, working as a labourer aged 20 when he joined the Leicestershire Regiment. He enlisted in Melton Mowbray on 2nd September 1914, the same day as Harry Pepper and Bertie King, both also from Holwell and who died in the War.

45370 Private Charles Cecil Barlow survived most of the War but was killed in action on 22nd March 1918, aged 24. He is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial to the Missing, which commemorates over 14,000 British and 300 South African casualties who died on the Somme battlefield in 1918 and who have no known grave.

His family later moved to Asfordby Hill, Melton Mowbray.