Sutton was born at Chichester to the Reverend Charles Nassau Sutton (a great-grandson of Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet) and his wife, Edith Mary Cafe.[1] He was educated at Eton College,[1] from where he chose a career in the British Army. Having served as a non-commissioned officer in the Territorial Force, Sutton passed the Competitive Examination of Officers in October 1911, upon which he was commissioned into the Royal Sussex Regiment as a second lieutenant, before transferring to the Royal Fusiliers in December 1912.[2]
He served with the Royal Fusiliers in the First World War, during which he was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant in March 1915, antedated to November 1914.[3] Promotion to the rank of captain followed in March 1916,[4] while in June 1917 he was appointed a brigade major.[5] He married his first wife, Amabel Anne Ludlow, in September 1917.[1] The couple had two sons. Their first child, John, died three days after he was born in July 1918. In April 1921, they had a second son, also called John.[1]
Following the war, Sutton played first-class cricket for the British Army cricket team, debuting against the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's in 1920.[6] He played four further first-class appearances for the Army, with his final match coming against Cambridge University in 1923.[6] Playing as a bowler, he took 10 wickets at an average of 39.60, with best figures of 3 for 15.[7] He retired from active service in March 1931, upon which he was granted the rank of brevet major.[8] Having been divorced from his first wife, he married his second wife, Gladys Louise Gubb, in June 1932.[1] He was made an MBE in the 1946 New Year Honours.[9] He died at Tunbridge Wells in October 1962.