Volunteer Spotlight: Bruce and Sue Moxley
As part of National Volunteer Week, the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust is proud to recognize the individuals whose dedication helps preserve the legacy of HMCS Sackville and Canada’s role in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Among those volunteers are Bruce and Sue Moxley, whose connection to the ship is both deeply personal and rooted in family history.
Sue began volunteering with the Trust around 2011, with Bruce joining a few years later in 2014. Their journey with HMCS Sackville began in a meaningful way. While attending a Battle of the Atlantic burial at sea service, Sue discovered a photograph aboard the ship showing her father serving the daily rum ration on a corvette. That moment sparked a deeper connection, leading her to become a Trustee in his memory. Bruce later joined as a Trustee as well, honouring his own father’s naval service.
What began as a personal connection quickly grew into a lasting commitment. Through attending Weepers ceremonies and assisting with burial at sea services, Bruce and Sue became more involved in the life of the ship. Over time, they trained as tour guides and now regularly welcome visitors from around the world, helping to share the story of the Battle of the Atlantic and Canada’s corvette navy.
For both of them, one of the most rewarding aspects of volunteering is the opportunity to meet people. Visitors arrive with a wide range of interests, some eager to learn about the war, others looking to connect with family histories tied to corvette service, and many simply wanting to experience what life at sea may have been like during the war.
Over the years, they have had many memorable experiences aboard HMCS Sackville. One that stands out is assisting during burial at sea services, helping families honour loved ones by committing ashes to the ocean. Another unforgettable moment involved welcoming a 98-year-old British corvette veteran aboard the ship to celebrate his birthday. Surrounded by family and Trust members, he shared stories, sang naval songs, and reflected on his service, a powerful reminder of the living history the ship represents.
For Bruce and Sue, HMCS Sackville represents a direct connection to their fathers’ contributions during the Second World War, stories that, like many of that generation, were rarely shared at the time. Through volunteering, they have worked to better understand and preserve those histories, ensuring they are not lost.
Their time with the Trust has also reinforced the importance of perspective. As they note, there is always more than one side to every story from the war, and sharing those stories helps create a fuller understanding of the past.
They strongly encourage others to get involved, describing HMCS Sackville as a “window into the past” and a reminder of Canada’s contributions during wartime. For them, volunteering is both engaging and rewarding, driven by the people they work alongside and the visitors they meet each season.
That sense of community is a big part of what keeps them coming back, from the ship’s Captain and staff to fellow Trustees, volunteers, and visitors from around the world. Each interaction adds to the shared effort of preserving and telling the story of the Battle of the Atlantic.
In addition to their volunteer work, Bruce has also contributed to the ship in a hands-on way, using his background in furniture restoration to help repair and refinish features such as the wheelhouse sliding doors and the ship’s donation chest, small but meaningful contributions to maintaining the vessel itself.
Through their dedication, Bruce and Sue Moxley embody the spirit of volunteerism that keeps HMCS Sackville alive as Canada’s Naval Memorial. Their work ensures that the stories of those who served, including their own fathers, continue to be remembered and shared for generations to come.