Paul Henrikson was born in 1924. He served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the Royal Canadian Navy then later became a teacher, and community leader in Selkirk.
Early Life
Paul Henrikson was born December 6th, 1924.
He attended Devonshire Collegiate Institute for high school. He was voted the “most handsome and athletic boy in class” and was successful in basketball and marksmanship. At the graduation ceremony in 1942, he was awarded with the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association Special Medal, as he had the highest score in marksmanship in his class at the National Cadet Rifle Competition.
Many residents on Dufferin Avenue joined the Second World War effort around the same time, forming the later named Dufferin Gang. After watching his friends and his brother, Harold enlist, Paul wanted to too. At the time, Paul was a university student studying pre-med. The government wanted all students to remain in school to complete their studies instead of joining the war. Because of this his first few attempts at enlisting were denied. Paul eventually told the recruitment officer that he was going to enlist no matter what – university could wait. He was then accepted into the Royal Canadian Navy.
Military Career
Paul served with the Royal Canadian Navy on the HMCS Uganda as an anti-aircraft gunner. The HMCS Uganda was a destroyer ship which accompanied many different fleets through the Bay of Biscay, the English Channel, across the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific Ocean and more.
Post Military Career
After Paul arrived home from the war, he returned to his university studies. During summer breaks he worked at the Hudson Bay Mining Company in Flin Flon. After earning a Bachelor of Education Degree, his teaching career moved him from Selkirk to Deloraine, Manitoba.
On July 4th, 1958, Paul married Margaret Paterson. They had four children, Donna, Jan, Gordon, and Trent. Paul’s career influenced another move, this time to Kipling, Saskatchewan. In 1966, the family returned to Selkirk for a job with the Lord Selkirk School Division. He taught at Selkirk Collegiate and the Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School and quickly became active in the community in a variety of ways. He retired from teaching in 1986.
In 1975 he was elected to Town Council. He served one term as councillor until he was appointed Deputy Mayor until 1983.
He was the President of the Selkirk and District Curling Club in 1976, President of the Selkirk Evangelical Lutheran Church, a member of the Zone Care Plan, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a cause close to home as Margaret suffered from this disease, and he was a charter member of the Selkirk Lions Club.
On September 2nd, 1992, Paul Henrikson passed away. Paul’s friends and family were able to celebrate his life thanks to the Last Post Fund from the Selkirk Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 42. A mass and headstone were provided in Paul’s honour at the Selkirk Lutheran Cemetery.
Paul Henrikson Collection
Click on images to enlarge
Lord Selkirk Suburban Schools' Boys' Basketball Championship, 1942, Winnipeg Tribune
Sources
Gord Henrikson Phone Interview, 2021
Winnipeg Tribune, 1942
Winnipeg Free Press, 1942
Selkirk Enterprise, 1968, 1977
Selkirk Journal, 1992
HMCS Uganda, For Posterity’s Sake, A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
