Major Sir Hew Ross Kilner (c1893-1953) of Vickers-Armstrongs
1953 Obituary [1]
WE have learned with regret of the death of Major Sir Hew Ross Kilner, M.C., which occurred at Weybridge on Sunday, August 2nd.
Sir Hew, who was sixty years of age, had only recently retired, through continued ill health, from the board of Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., where he had been deputy chairman and managing director (aviation) since 1945.
Hew Kilner was educated at Cheltenham College and proceeded to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
After service in the 1914-18 war as a Regular Officer in the Royal Artillery, he held the appointment of Staff Captain in the War Office for four years and had five years' experience as an Instructor in Gunnery.
In 1930 he joined Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., becoming a special director and general manager of its Southern Engineering Works in 1931, and a director in 1936.
In 1940, in view of the increasing importance of aircraft production he was appointed general manager of the aircraft section, since when his main interests have been concerned with aircraft. To Sir Hew must be given much of the credit for the organisation behind the production of the famous aircraft which this company contributed, particularly during the early critical phase of the last war.
He was appointed managing director (aviation) in 1944 and in 194? assumed also the position of deputy chairman of Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd.
He was knighted the following year.
Sir Hew was also a director of the parent company, Vickers, Ltd., and a director and chairman of Cooke, Troughton and Simms, Ltd.