H.M.C.S. Prince Robert
of the Royal Canadian navy in the Philippines
Repatriation
The final surrender of Hong Kong took place on September 16, 1945. On September 20, 1945 the H.M.C.S. PRINCE ROBERT left Hong Kong for Subic Bay in Manila, where 59 former Canadian Prisoners of War were picked up and transported home.

The ship left Manila on September 29 for Esquimalt, British Columbia, arriving on October 20, 1945.
The cover illustrated carried by a priest out of Hong Kong or China and posted on board the PRINCE ROBERT, where the "FROM H. M. C. SHIP" hand stamp was applied in black, and dropped off at Manila when it docked.

The PRINCE ROBERT was the only Canadian ship in these waters at the time and it's records do state that quite a few Catholic Priests were dropped off at Manila. Being posted on board a military ship this cover was entitled to free postage.
Gene Labiuk Collection