Joel was born in 1920 in St George in the East, London to Isaac and Dinah nee Levene and had an older sister Grace. Their father was a fish salesman and in 1939 the family were living at 48 Hedsor Buildings in Bethnal Green. Joel enlisted the following year in 1940.

Joel was an air gunner on Lancaster R5746 which departed from RAF Swinderby on 11th August on a night operation to Le Havre. The aircraft failed to return and there are no details known about the circumstances of the loss.

The crew were:
Pilot, David Gray, 402993, RAAF
Nav, Thomas William Sheridan Addison, 404571, RAAF
Wop/AG, Alexander Ashcroft Waldie, 1101233
Air Bomber, Geoffrey Browning McCloy, 403199, RAAF
F/Eng, William Paul Taylor, 1211090
WOP/AG, John Manley Lowe, R/86751, RCAF
Air Gunner, Joel Bogard, 1382214