Joseph was born on 30 September 1913 in Whitechapel, London to Ukranian born parents Samuel, a cabinet maker, and Annie nee Goldstein and he had two older sisters, Clara and Esther and two brothers David and Louis. The family lived initially in Spitalfields before moving to Tottenham in north London. Joseph joined the Merchant Navy in October 1936 and worked as a steward on the M.V. Sutherland, he then served on other ships before joining the S.S. Laconia.

At 22.07 hours on 12 Sep 1942 the unescorted Laconia was hit by two torpedoes from U-156 about 360 miles northeast of Ascension Island and sank at 23.23 hours. The master, 97 crew members, 133 passengers, 33 Polish guards and 1394 Italian POWs were lost. As the Laconia went down, U-156 surfaced and sent a signal that brought two other U-boats, an Italian submarine, and three Vichy French warships to assist with rescue operations. But on the morning of September 16, a U.S. bomber flew over U-156 now packed with several hundred Laconia survivors. The crew unfurled a large Red Cross flag, but the submarine was attacked. The Laconia survivors were ordered over the side into lifeboats. Damaged, U-156 left the area as other U-boats commenced rescue operations.