Cecil Warde was born in Addington, Kent on  2 July 1895, the youngest son of Frederick Warde, a hop and fruit farmer, and Lilian Elizabeth Warde (née Tapsfield).  He was educated at Mrs Ingram’s School in St Leonards as a boarder, before spending a short time at the Junior King’s School, Canterbury in September 1903. He went on to HMS CONWAY as a Cadet from April 1908 to April 1910 after which he went on to the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, passing out in December 1912.

On 15 January 1913 he was promoted to Midshipman and was appointed to the battleship HMS TEMERAIRE, part of the First Battle Squadron, in which he served until 3 of July 1915. He was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant on 15 January 1915 and on the 9 May 1915 he applied to join submarines. On 4 of July 1915 he was appointed to the minesweeper HMS SPANKER, was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on  30 September 1915 and left the ship on the 30 November 1915. On the 1 December 1915 he joined the Royal Navy Submarine School HMS DOLPHIN for submarine training. On 10 August 1916 he joined the depot ship HMS VULCAN and on 2 August 1917 he joined HMS K17 based at Rosyth.

He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial Panel 28.