David Charles Motley was a BC born man who joined the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve at age 19. Motley attended high school for 1 year then dropped out and worked in labour until he volunteered to participate in the war where he eventually died.
I chose David Charles Motley because I wanted someone who I was connected to in any way, David was born in Nelson BC, which is the small city where my dads half of the family lives. My grandfather came over from Italy at age fourteen during the year of 1949 to meet his dad who had moved there from Italy the year before. Although this is after the war I still have more connections to WWII, two of my Great Grand Fathers and the two Brothers of one of them on my fathers side fought in World War 2… but for the Axis Powers.
David Charles Motley was married at age 19 and had a kid 8 months later, David died at the age of 23 only being husband for five years and a father for four years. The story of David is like many other men who died before there life had truly developed.
Here is my diary entry….
To reflect and conclude, this assignment is a really great way to understand and appreciate the lives of Canadians who fought for us. It is quite nerve racking when you start to learn a lot about your selected solider and grow a connection to them. The honest and brutal truth about the deaths of so many young Canadians comes out when i learn about just one. Everyone had individual lives that they laid on the line for the emerging identify of a new country.