Lieutenant-Colonel Jeff Nicklin
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion

Colonel Nicklin was a by the book commander, absolutely no quarter given and he had no compassion for defences that were mounted … the number of soldiers punished severely for what might be minor infractions gave the colonel the un-kind title of ‘Tyrant.’”

(Quoted in Bernd Horn, Intrepid Warriors, 240)

Born in Winnipeg on 10 December 1914, Jevon Albert Nicklin was a football player for Winnipeg Blue Bombers and won the Grey Cup with the team in 1935 and 1939. He was commissioned second lieutenant in August 1940 and joined the Royal Winnipeg Rifles before volunteering to be a paratrooper two years later. He became second-in-command of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion where he earned a reputation as a disciplinarian, “tough as hell”

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