Ross Ainsley was born on January 8th, 2517 at the Airyhall Day Hospital in the Scottish City of Edinburgh, to parents James Ainsley and Claire Wildermore. In early days as a child, Ross lived a troubled life as the Outer Colony Insurgency devastated the family's agriculutural buisness. In 2525, his father James left his family for what was intended to be a short buisness trip to a farming facility on Green Hills. However, prior to his arrival he was ambushed by pirates aboard the former UNSC corvette Ely. Taken hostage for nearly twelve weeks, James was finally freed by members of the 8th SOAR Battalion.