When Gudni Agust Amundson returned home from the First World War, he carried invisible scars that would claim his life before the age of 50.
World War I veteran Gudni Agust Amundson of Hecla Island served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and later settled in Selkirk. He was the only soldier from Hecla to enlist and was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service
Amundson, the son of Icelandic settlers on Hecla Island, was the only man from the community to enlist when war broke out in 1914. He left behind his family’s lakeside homestead, known as Helga Vatn, to serve with the Canadian Expeditionary Force overseas.
Like many young Icelandic men of the time, Amundson had earned his living fishing on Lake Winnipeg before volunteering for service. His family believes he was motivated by a deep love of country and a sense of duty to defend the freedom his parents had sought in Canada.
During the war, Amundson was exposed to poisonous gas on the battlefield, suffering severe and permanent lung damage. He spent a year hospitalized in England recovering from his injuries and wasn’t discharged until July 1919—months after the armistice.
“His lung damage was so extensive that it delayed his return home,” said his granddaughter Alexa Okrainec. “He bore the effects of the war bravely, but it ultimately shortened his life.”
After returning to Canada, Amundson married Stella Stefanson of Gull Harbour (Grund) and settled in Selkirk, where they raised two sons and two daughters. He continued fishing whenever his health allowed, but his war injuries lingered until his death at age 47.
Amundson rarely spoke of his time overseas, and few details of his service have survived. His descendants say he carried those experiences quietly.
Though unaware during his lifetime, Amundson had earned the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service. Years later, his children accepted the medals on his behalf — a powerful symbol of remembrance for the family.
“It means everything to us to see Agust Amundson honoured and remembered,” Okrainec said. “He didn’t live to see his children grow up or meet his grandchildren, but we see how much he valued our freedom and the price he paid for the peace we enjoy today.”
