His cousin Denis Tomlin writes:
“John left the School in the summer of 1939 to begin his degree course in Mathematics at Wadham College before he was enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1940. He later saw service in North Africa and Italy until, after demobilisation, he returned to Oxford. Having completed his degree, he moved with his wife, Suzanne, and daughter, Elizabeth, to Henley-on-Thames; where he remained until ill-health forced him to move to a nursing-home near Hereford, close to his daughter and her husband.
His career at the School was remarkable. In his final year he was captain of Rugger, Cricket and Athletics and participated keenly in other, less physical, activities. I entered the School in September, 1939 and for the next seven years was constantly, to my chagrin, urged to follow the example of ‘cousin John’! Needless to say I failed in this respect.
John spent his working life with ICI and continued to involve himself in sport with Oxfordshire Rugby Union and Henley-on-Thames RFC; and with the help of a buggy in later years, in golf. He will be remembered, I am sure, for his enthusiastic approach to life, which never waned, even when faced with disability.”