HMS Kenya - Military Genealogy

Dates: 1940 - 1958

HMS Kenya (C14) was a Colony-class cruiser built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Glasgow and commissioned on 27 September 1940. Complement: 730

In December of that year, she was deployed as a unit of the Covering Forces to the North Atlantic convoys. She took part in the hunt for the Bismark in May 1941 whilst part of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet, based at Scapa Flow. On 3 June Kenya and HMS Aurora surprised and sank the German supply tanker Belchen which was supplying U-93 in the Davis Straits.

Operation Stonewall
During September and October 1941, the Royal Navy devised a plan, titled Operation Stonewall, to intercept U-boats which were escorting outbound blockade runners through the Bay of Biscay, and into the Atlantic. On September 23, Kenya and HMS Sheffield made to intercept the blockade runner Rio Grande, destined for Japan and escorted by U-204. The Rio Grande escaped, but another blockade runner, the Kota Pinang was sunk west of Cape Finisterre.

Arctic operations
By November Kenya was in the Arctic patrolling off the Norwegian polar coast, against German merchant shipping, she was also involved in the shelling of German positions in Vardo. In December, still in the Arctic, Rear Admiral Burrough set out from Scapa Flow with Kenya, four destroyers and two landing ships to participate in Operation Anklet, the commando raid on the Lofoten Islands, as part of the larger Operation Archery. Kenya was hit several times by shells from the Rugsunday coastal battery. She also avoided damage in air attacks by the Germans on the 27th and the 28th. The force returned to Scapa Flow in early January 1942. Kenya returned to escorting Arctic convoys between March and May 1942. She had by now received the nickname "The Pink Lady", due to her Mountbatten Pink camouflage paint). During the commando raid against installations on Vagsoy Island off the Norwegian coast, the Germans fired on Kenya for several minutes with coastal guns but she sustained only minor damage from near misses. This was attributed to her Mountbatten Pink camouflage blending in with the pink marker dye the Germans were using in their shells, preventing German spotters from distinguishing between shell splashes and the ship.

Into the Mediterranean
In June she was transferred to the Mediterranean arena as a member of Covering Force W which was intended for the escorting of the double convoy operation code named “Harpoon” (Gibraltar to Malta) and “Vigorous” (Alexandria to Malta). In August she was involved in the escorting of the convoy from Gibraltar to Malta code named “Pedestal” under the command of Vice Admiral Syfret. Thirteen merchantmen made up the convoy, which was escorted by two battleships, three fleet carriers, four anti aircraft cruisers, three general cruisers and twenty four destroyers. On 12 June, Kenya was damaged by torpedoes from the Italian submarine Alagi. In December repairs to her damaged hull were completed and she returned to active service.

The Far East
Kenya remained with the Home Fleet throughout 1943. By January 1944 she was sent to the Indian Ocean to form part of the 4th Cruiser Squadron of the British Eastern Fleet, under the command of Rear Admiral Read. On February 15, she docked in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa, undocking on March 10. In June she participated in the carrier raid on Port Blair (Nicobars) code named “Pedal”. In July she was involved in the shelling of Sabang. In September the British Eastern Fleet, under Rear Admiral Moodey carried out carrier raids on Sigli in Northern Sumatra, (Operation “Light”) Kenya was part of the escort.

During January – February 1945 Kenya was operating in the Indian Ocean area as a unit of Task Force 65 under Rear Admiral Moodey, The task force landed 500 Royal Marines on the Cheduba Island, south of Ramree on January 26, (Operation “Sankey”). During February - March Kenya carrying the flag of Vice Admiral Walker, escorted the escort carriers HMS E