Cyril Ludbrook was born in Stockton on Tees, Co. Durham on 17 September 1922 and he was the son of Walter Scott Ludbrook and Jane Anne Ludbrook.

He served in the Royal Navy as an Engine Room Artificer. He was drafted to HMS VARBEL ‘for X Craft Training’ and to HMS X22 as the Engineer. X22 was accidentally sunk with all hands on 7 February 1944. X22 was under tow by HMS SYRTIS in the Pentland Firth when the Officer of the Watch of HMS SYRTIS (Lieutenant Charles Blythe, RNR) was washed overboard from the bridge. The Commanding Officer of SYRTIS (Lieutenant M H Jupp) reversed course in an attempt to rescue his ‘man overboard’ and accidentally collided with HMS X22. X22 sank at once and the crew of four including Cyril Ludbrook were all lost.

Cyril Ludbrook of 3, Eton Road, Stockton on Tees is commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 85 Column 1 and on the 12th Submarine Flotilla memorials at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute and at Kylesku.