John Oakes

John Oakes was educated at Downside School, Bath, before going to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, from where he joined the Irish Guards and eventually reached the rank of Major. Skiing was always Oakes’ passion, and in 1956 he was appointed captain of the British Army skiing team and the following year won the Inter-Services downhill title.

In 1958 Oakes competed in the skiing events at the inaugural Commonwealth Winter Games at St. Moritz and that year he also helped Britain retain the Lowlanders team title and, additionally, won the combined title at the Army Championships. Oakes was the British Services overall champion in 1959 and he went to the 1960 Winter Olympics having captured the overall titles at both the Army and Services Championships. Oakes captained the British skiing team at Squaw Valley but on arrival in the United States he was hospitalised with gastric influenza. He recovered, but could only finish 48th and 55th in the slalom and downhill respectively.

Oakes moved to Warwickshire in the 1980s, and in 1996 was appointed High Sheriff of the county.