Ralph Snook was born on 28 September 1890, the son of the late F W Snook and Mrs Snook of Castle Grove, Nottingham. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet at the RN College, Osborne on 15 September 1903.

He joined submarines as a Sub Lieutenant in May 1913 and was subsequently appointed to HMS C2 in June 1913. Promoted Lieutenant in July 1913, he was appointed to HMS V1 as First Lieutenant in April 1915, but very shortly moved to V4 in May of that year and, five months later, to E4. 

Snook’s first command was HMS C21 in April 1916 and his second that of C20 in January 1917. In July 1917 he took command of E50, which was lost in the North Sea on, or about, 1 February 1918. The submarine is believed to have struck a mine near the South Dogger Light Vessel. There were no survivors.

Ralph Snook is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No. 28.