Thomas was educated at King William College - Isle of Man, and at Edinburgh University - entering in 1905, he qualified M.B., B.Ch. in 1911. He was first XV rugby and athletics, and played rugby for Preston Grasshoppers. He was at OTC for one year, and was in succession junior and senior house surgeon and house physician at the Victoria Hospital, Burnley. At the outbreak of war Thomas was Senior House Surgeon at Manchester Children’s Hospital, Pendlebury, an appointment he resigned from on receiving a commission in the R.A.M.C., T.F. on 5th September 1914. He gained promotion to Captain in March 1915. He was on board H.M. Transport Ship 'Royal Edward' when it was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean by the German submarine UB-14. Thomas was the only son of Mr J A Hayhurst, Mayfield, Fulwood, Preston. He was recently married before he died.