Football player, soldier.
Born at Fort William, Ontario 10 December 1914, son of Percy Harold Nicklin (c1895-1973) and Eva Louise Nicklin (?-?), he was raised in Winnipeg. He attended Mulvey School, Gordon Bell High School, and Kelvin High School. He played minor football at Deer Lodge before joining the Winnipeg Rugby Club in 1934 as a back. He played for seven seasons with the now Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was a Western Conference all-star from 1937 to 1940.
On 14 September 1940 he married Mary Eileen Hollingsworth (1920-2013) in Winnipeg. They had a son David Jeff Nicklin (1944-2000) who unfortunately he never saw. In 1940, he joined the active service unit of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. He fought during the Second World War and was one of the first Canadians to jump on D-Day (6 June 1944). He attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in November 1944. He was commander of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion from 8 September 1944 until his death.
On 24 March 1945, he was killed in the Rhine Airborne Invasion when his parachute became hung up in a tree and he was shot and killed by enemy forces as he tried to free himself from the tree. He was buried in the Groesbeck Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands.
On 12 July 1945 he was appointed posthumously as an Officer in the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1946, the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy was introduced and named in his honour for the Most Outstanding Player in the Western Conference of the Canadian Football League. He was inducted posthumously to the Blue Bombers Hall of Fame (1984) and Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame (2004).
“Good luck Bombers, make it seven straight,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 November 1938, page 17.
“Canadian Press team is named,” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 November 1939, page 23.
“Jeff Nicklin joins active service unit,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 August 1940, page 12.
“Jeff Nicklin is honoured on eve of marriage,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 September 1940, page 18.
“Western all-stars are named,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 November 1940, page 21.
“Jeff Nicklin thoughts still with Bombers,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13, September 1941, page 1.
“Nicklin says rugby aid to paratroops,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 September 1942, page 1.
“Nicklin and Thompson named Lieut Colonels,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 November 1944, page 9.
“Jeff Nicklin killed in Rhine airborne invasion,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 March 1945, page 1.
“A tribute to Jeff,” Winnipeg Tribune, 31 March 1945, page 35.
“Football trophy named for Jeff,” Winnipeg Tribune, 27 September 1945, page 27.
“Grey Cup has area roots,” Thunder Bay Chronicle, 22 November 2012, Section B page 1.
“The best Bomber you've never heard of,” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 September 2013, page 9.
“Grey Cup has ties to N.W.O.,” Thunder Bay Chronicle, 11 December 2021, page 17.
This page was prepared by Rick Mutton.
Page revised: 1 May 2025
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
