Group portrait of Victorian colonial troops. James Sumner is identified in the back row, far left.

James Ziba Sumner (sometimes recorded as Summer) was born near Stawell, Victoria in 1878. He served in the Boer War twice, embarking with the Second Victorian Mounted Rifles in January 1900 as a Private, with the service number 280, then enlisting in the 2nd Australian Commonwealth Horse and embarking in January 1902, with the service number 526. He served with the Victorian Rangers between 1905-1910.
During the First World War, Sumner enlisted for service in the tropics in November 1914, serving with 3rd Battalion Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force, New Guinea with the service number 104. He received his discharge on 23 December 1915 after completing of his period of service, then enlisted in the AIF on 29 December 1915, aged 36 years, 11 months. On 29 March 1916 Pte Sumner (4549) embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT RMS Orontes with the 11th Reinforcements to the 22nd Battalion and served on the Western Front. He was promoted to Temporary Sergeant on 14 August 1916, and was killed in action on 26 August 1916. He was survived by his wife Harriet, and five children, three daughters and two sons.