HILLMAN  WWII SCRAPBOOK
Robert Gerald Hillman CPO
HMCS PRINCE ROBERT
1945

Most of the photos in this gallery are from my dad's collection and many are Official Royal Canadian Naval Photographs offered to the crew of the Prince Robert. Picture orders were taken on board ship during the journey back from Hong Kong. They sold for approximately 10 cents apiece. I have included the negative numbers under each photo. Click on most of these pictures to see a full screen-size enlargement.

Jerry Hillman

The descriptive text accompanying this HMCS Prince Robert Photo Gallery was transcribed from the Hillman Video Library Tape #59, which contains an interview with my father, Chief Petty Officer Robert Gerald (Jerry) Hillman conducted on August 28, 1982. He died of cancer a few months later. He was reluctant to talk much about the war years... and there were so many more questions I should have asked. I miss him...

I would like to hear from anyone who has memories, photos or information to share about the ROBERT.

~~ William Gerald Hillman ~~

A WWII RCN PHOTO GALLERY
H.M.C.S. PRINCE ROBERT 1945

"The PRINCE ROBERT was the most noteworthy of three of the most unusual ships to sail. She metamorphosed more times than a butterfly. Originally designed as a fast coastal ferry, she later became a cruise ship, an AMC, an A/A cruiser, a refugee transport, and finally, a luxurious ocean liner.

As evidence of her basic speed, strength and endurance, saw more of the world, sailed more operational miles and had longer sea times than any other ship in the RCN. For most of the war it was the largest and most heavily armed ship in the Canadian Navy.

In 1941 the ROBERT was attached to New Zealand as convoy protection for the airmen coming to Canada for the Commonwealth Air Training Plan. She then escorted the Canadian troops to Hong Kong in the ill-fated plan to defend the port against the Japanese. Before her 1943 conversion, ROBERT spent her time looking for enemy merchant shipping where she successfully captured the German ship, M.S. Weser. She was then converted to an AA ship, and escorted convoys in the Mediterranean and was even put under US command for a period of time for operations in the Aleutians. In July, 1945, she went to join the British Pacific Fleet, and in August arrived in Hong Kong to facilitate the release of the Canadian POWs and to have her Captain represent Canada at the surrender ceremonies.

Altogether, the ROBERT served five years as a warship and the best part of 26 additional years as a passenger vessel. She spent her last 15 years as an Italian luxury liner. Her record, full of diverse and original assignments, strange encounters, and duty faithfully done, will long endure."

...Bill Johnson

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Steam ahead to Pt. 1. The Early Years

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