John Luce was born on 4 February 1870 at Halcombe, Malmesbury in the English county of Wiltshire. In 1902, he married Mary Dorothea Tucker and they had three children. The eldest, Alfred, was born on 6 November 1903, also joined the Navy and was executive officer of during the pursuit of the German battleship "Bismarck". He died in a training exercise on 20 October 1941. Alfred had two daughters. Sir John David Luce was born on 23 January 1906, joined the Navy and served as First Sea Lord from 1963 to 1966. Sir William Luce was born the following year and in later life became the Governor of Aden from 1956 to 1960.