The historic involvement of Canada and the Allies in the liberation of Sicily and the Italian peninsula in 1943-1945 has often been overshadowed by other events and operations during Second World War. 5586 Ian and Rosemary Mottershead have now provided the means by which RMC can ensure that selected students who meet the academic, leadership, physical fitness and language requirements of the College can learn about these important campaigns through the RMC Mottershead Battlefield Tour series, which now includes annual visits to the Canadian battlefields of France and Belgium, in February, and Italy, in October.
Battlefield tours play a significant role in education by providing a unique and immersive learning experience that goes beyond traditional classroom settings. This teaching is of great utility to both academic and military learning. By being physically present at historic battlefields, students gain a profound and personal connection to the past, enhancing their understanding of the human experience during times of conflict and the impacts of war. Through this experiential learning participants are enriched academically, emotionally, and culturally, preparing them to become more informed and empathetic members of the profession of arms. Some former RMC students have observed that their involvement with the Mottershead Battlefield Tours was “life changing.”
Thanks to the extraordinary and sustained contributions from 5586 Ian and Rosemary Mottershead, a growing number of RMC Naval and Officer Cadets will now have the opportunity to learn about the important efforts of the Canadian, and other nations’ navies, armies and airforces, which kept key German forces in the Mediterranean and away from action on the Eastern and Western fronts of the war.
Building on their earlier donations to fund battlefield tours in Western Europe, in August 2023, the Mottershead family contributed almost $2 million to the Mottershead Battlefield Tour Endowment in order to include an Italian Tour component. This week, the Mottershead family increased their contribution to this same initiative with an additional $1.5 million.
Incredibly, the Mottershead family has now contributed $6.8 million to the Royal Military College Alumni Association. Over the last five years, they have been the major donor supporting the continuance of the RMC Mottershead Battlefield Tour for naval and officer cadets. This unique gift to advance the quality of education at the Canadian Military Colleges sets a new threshold for alumni giving in terms of scale and impact.
Alumni contributions, such as those made by the Mottershead family, contribute to enhancing student life at the colleges and creating unique experiences and opportunities that help shape future leaders of Canada.
To learn more about Mr. Charles Ian Mottershead, please visit: https://www.rmc-cmr.ca/en/college-commandants-office/announcement-honorary-degrees-rmc%E2%80%99s-114th-convocation
