Death of Lt Cdr William Paul Henke RN/RNR

27 Jul 2026 - Paul Henke crossed the bar on 20 July after suffering cancer for the past two years. He was 76.

Although Paul was not a member of the MCDOA, he joined the Royal Navy at Dartmouth in 1968 and qualified as an MCD officer at HMS VERNON on the 1974 LMCDO course. He had served in HMS ANTRIM and was 1st Lt of HMS MAXTON, in the same squadron as the then Prince of Wales’ ship, before unexpectedly leaving the RN as a lieutenant and subsequently joining the RNR.

A masterful story-teller in more ways than one, Paul pursued a successful second career as a prolific action thriller novelist, often relating the fictional derring-do adventures of a former MCD officer. He wrote 20 books in all and once told me he formed his plots from reading three unconnected events in the newspaper then weaving a plot that incorporated all of them.

Welsh by origin and Scottish by residence, Paul was also a councillor for the Forth & Endrick Ward of Stirling Council and a Chair of Balfron Community Council.

Fuller, rather more flattering obituaries may be found here:

The Scots Tory councillor whose extraordinary life story reads like a novel

Tributes flood in for rural Stirling councillor and author after death announced

Balfron grandad faced bombs, snakes and cancer – all with his trademark military bravery

Tributes paid after Stirling councillor Paul Henke dies

I am sure all members of our community will join me in extending our deep sympathy to his wife Dorothy and other family members.