Gerald was born as Benjamin Orlofsky on April 2nd, 1911, in Mile End, London to Russian born parents Samuel and Rebecca and he had eight siblings. Samuel and Rebecca were married in Russia where their first two children were born and travelled to England before 1902. Samuel worked as a tin smith and sheet metal worker for the motor industry. Rebecca died in 1920 leaving Samuel with many young children to care for and in the 1921 Census eighteen-year-old Yetta worked as an embroideress, sixteen-year-old Hyman was a violinist at the Wings Picture Palace in Chelsea and fourteen-year-old Israel was a cabinet maker with the younger children at school.

Gerald served in the Merchant Navy from 1939 serving on the ships Esperance Bay, Mataroa and SS Umvuma before he retired early. His death certificate states that he was working as a railway train steward when he was killed ‘due to war operations’ at Hill End Hospital in St Albans, Hertfordshire.