Cecil was educated privately, and at Rhodes College - taking the triple qualification in law in South Africa, and the M.B. He became a Medical Practitioner and was gazetted as a Lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. on 15th August 1918. He was sent to serve at the Prisoners of War Camp, Rugely, co Stafford, and died at Cannock Chase Military Hospital of septic pneumonia, contracted whilst on duty. Cecil was the elder son of John and Susan Van Rennan Blake of Burghersdorp, South Africa; and the husband of Aline Jean Burn-Murdoch (formerly Blake, and daughter of Rev. W J Macdonald of Kirkcaldy) of 10 Merchiston Avenue, Edinburgh. They were married at Edinburgh on 18th May 1918.