Charles East was born on 5 September 1950, the son of James Dudley and Sheila East. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 1 September 1968 at the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He was promoted to Midshipman on 1 September 1969 and then served in the Leander Class frigate HMS DANAE, before studying engineering at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon, having been promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 1 September 1970.

After promotion to Lieutenant on 16 April 1973, Charles East next served in HMS CENTURION, before being appointed to HMS CONQUEROR. At that time, the submarine was in maintenance at HM Dockyard, Chatham.

Charles East, of Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, is reported to have died in hospital on 14 August 1976. It is understood that he died of injuries received in a road traffic accident at Malling in Kent on 13 August 1976.