Items donated by Maxine Mackenzie to the Historical Collection of the D.V. Currie VC Armoury, Moose Jaw.
These items were donated by Maxine Mackenzie to the Historical Collection of the D.V. Currie VC Armoury, Moose Jaw, in June 2025. They belonged to Michael Selinger, a medic in WWII. Maxine is Michael Selinger's widow. Most things were enclosed in a small suitcase, which Michael had kept in his office in his business in Moose Jaw after the war, until 2025.
For students researching a Saskatchewan soldier, perhaps for Remembrance Day, these donated items and photographs offer a glimpse into the life of a young Saskatchewan man during his time in uniform, the scenes he encountered and photographed, and likewise after World War II farming in Saskatchewan in the 1940's.
Most of the photographs Mike took himself. He had two cameras, he says on the back of one of his pictures. Some of the photographs are clear, have a description on the back, and some have neither of these qualities. We offer the images just as he took them.
The RCAMC, or Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, provided medical support to Canadians serving at home and overseas. Canada was one of the first nations to incorporate women into medical corps. The earliest example is in 1885 in Saskatchewan. Mike worked in #5 Casualty Clearing Station overseas. He served in Italy.
In the book A prairie town goes to war, by Jenni Mortin, Mike is quoted describing Christmas dinner there. On 1Feb1944 he wrote:
"The best part of it all was that while all ranks except officers and nursing sisters were seated behind white linen-covered tables, the officers and nursing sisters the privilege of serving us cafeteria style. They got a big kick out of it but to me it was a bang. We had a dance at nite which finished the day right. But they're not like the ones I used to know either. I'll be glad to go back to Canada and once again enjoy the peace and comforts of home and freedom."
Facts about Michael's family extracted a local history book.
From the book Ploughshares & prairie trails : Dilke & district. 1982., we learn that Mike was part of a large Selinger family with links to Rastadt, Russia, and the Selinger Colony in Saskatchewan. The book says "Mike R. married Maxine Mackenzie of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They farm at Dilke and operate a Trailer Home Sales and Service business in Moose Jaw." It is under his desk at this business that Mike kept the little box with the items donated and depicted here, from after the war to 2025 when the business was sold.
Photos and notes.
Several hundred photos were donated. Mike had more than one camera. For the student or researcher the items have been grouped into categories to show aspects of Private Selinger's army life such as places he visited while serving, the money used in those places, army publications, and army hygiene. Then photos are grouped to show his life after the war in the 1940's such as farming, buildings, correspondence with friends, family, faith, fashion, fun, music, Saskatchewan places, and vehicles.
Photos with inscriptions on the front or back.
GCS/gs 8-24Jun2025/26Sep2025