Ernest Ruck-Keene was born on 17 September 1892, the son of Jessie J Ruck-Keene of Lexden, Colchester and the late George Berners Ruck-Keene. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 September 1905 and was promoted to Midshipman on 15 May 1910. Promotion to Sub Lieutenant followed on 30 July 1913.

Sub Lieutenant Ruck-Keene was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for Instruction in Submarines on 15 October 1913. On 1 February 1914 he was appointed to HMS C6. On 8 May 1915 he was appointed to the HMS E21 as First Lieutenant and promoted to Lieutenant on 30 May 1915. HMS E21 was sent to the Mediterranean and was based at Brindisi. He was next appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS BONAVENTURE on the Tyne for Submarines in October 1916.

In December 1918 he was serving in HMS EGMONT in Malta for Submarine Duties and for Command of Malta Experimental Station to which he had been appointed on 8 August 1917. The experiments were in connection with Submarines and Hydrophones. He was accidentally drowned at Constantinople (now Istanbul) in Turkey on 24 December 1918.

Ernest Ruck-Keene is commemorated on the Lexden War Memorial in Colchester in Essex and on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No. 28.