Jack Thomas (footballer, born 1891)

John William "Jack" Thomas was an English professional football inside right who played in the Football League for Newcastle United.

Personal life
Thomas worked as a miner. After the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, he enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry. Thomas was taken prisoner during the Second Battle of Ypres, in 1915 and was sent to Germany, where he was incarcerated with French prisoners and learnt the language. He eventually escaped with four other French prisoners and by using a compass which had been hidden in a cake sent from home, he made it to the neutral Netherlands. Upon his return to Britain, Thomas was interrogated as a possible German spy, but was then sent back to France to work in counter-espionage, by posing as a French dock worker.