Canada's Naval History

The Second World War
War in the Pacific and South East Asia - The Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and Hong Kong

During the Second World War in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, some Canadians and Canadian ships served with Britain's Royal Navy fighting against Japan. After helping Canadian soldiers reinforce Hong Kong in 1941, the Royal Canadian Navy returned in 1945 and helped repatriate Canadian prisoners of war.

HMCS Ontario in Malta

The powerful light cruiser HMCS Ontario, seen here in Malta, was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy too late to see action in either Europe or the Pacific.

Ontario completed working-up exercises around Malta and then steamed eastwards via the Suez Canal to join the British Pacific Fleet. The war against Japan ended with Ontario still in transit, but the cruiser met HMCS Prince Robert in Hong Kong. The two ships' crews helped restore order in the recently liberated colony, and helped with the repatriation of prisoners of war, including Canadians, from Japanese camps.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19840132-040