Passing of Hilton J Nicholas

Hilton J Nicholas, AM OBE

Hurricane Pilot

RAAF Number 430918

With regret, I write to advise you of the death, on 25 January 2017, of Member Hilton John Nicholas AM OBE of Howlong, NSW 2643 (my husband), and to ask you to make the necessary notation in the Friends of the Odd Bods Association membership files.

Hilton enlisted on 23 April 1943, having just turned 18.  After training in Australia and qualifying as a pilot, he was posted to the UK, where he was based in the south of England, flying Hurricanes.  He was then seconded to the RAF as an instructor of naval aviators.  He was discharged on 31 January 1946 – not yet 21 years of age - upon repatriation to Australia after the War.

In civilian life, Hilton joined Nicholas Aspro, the major Australian and International pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprise established by his father, George (the inventor of Aspro), and George’s brother Alfred.  He remained with the company for whole of his business career, taking on high level responsibility both within Australia and overseas.

For more than 25 years Hilton was a member of the Board of the Corps of Commissionaires, assisting retired Veterans with civilian service opportunities and employment suited to their circumstances.

He was also a noted breeder of thoroughbreds, and served on the Committee of the Victoria Racing Club (Flemington) for 33 years.  He was Chairman of the VRC from 1982 to 1986, and Chairman of the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) for 16 years, succeeding the inaugural Chairman Sir Chester Manifold.

Among his many other involvements in public life, he was a Board Member of the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne for 30 years, the last five as Chairman.

I hope this short resumé may be of some interest to you as part of the Association’s records.

With kind regards

Marjorie Nicholas OAM