John Alexander Summerhayes, known as Jack, was born at Quetta in India in 1898, third child and eldest son of Dr J O Summerhayes, a GP living in High Street, Thame from 1908 to 1924.

As a result of a childhood illness, contracted in India, Jack had poor eyesight and was not medically fit for front-line service.  He was, however, keen to serve and joined the Officer Training Corps while a boarder at St Lawrence school Chester, enlisting on 25th November 1916.

He had a place to study medicine at Oxford University when he was assigned to the Labour Corps in July 1917 as a Second Lieutenant and attached to the 13th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

His thoughtfulness and consideration for his men won him their respect and his strength of character and soldierly ability resulted in his being given the exceptional promotion from 2nd Lieut to Captain by his Colonel.

He was killed by a sniper in northern France on 27th August 1918 aged 19 and buried in the small military cemetery in Nieppe-Bois, Nord, France. His father had enlisted in the RAMC at the start of the war and at the time of Jack’s death was serving in Italy as a Lieut Colonel.

Jack is remembered in Thame on the war memorial, St Mary’s Church memorial board and on the All Saints’ Church memorial board.