Emmanuel was born on 16 January 1908 in Mile End Old Town, London to Russian born parents Samuel Zarback and Yetta nee Cohen and he was the eldest of seven children. Samuel became a naturalised British citizen in 1920.

After finishing school, Manny worked as a woollen and textile traveller and used the surname Samuels. On 16 August 1931 he married Sybil Cashman at Fieldgate Street Synagogue. Sybil was the sister of Simon Cashman who died serving in 38 Squadron four weeks before Emmanuel. Cashman, Simon Michael | The Jews of the RAF

The 1939 Register states that the family were living at 18 Marlborough Avenue, Hendon and Emmanuel was a textile traveller and an A.R.P. warden. Emmanuel volunteered in 1940.

From ‘We Will Remember Them,’ by Henry Morris: ‘The circumstances of his death are particularly tragic. He was the oldest of seven children and volunteered to fight as he had some knowledge of what was happening to Jews in Germany. ‘He left a young widow and two children, a son aged 7 and a daughter of 2. ‘He died in Slough on 15 August 1941, aged thirty-three. Someone was cleaning a loaded gun which went off accidentally, shooting him in the head.‘