HMS Kenya (14)

HMS "Kenya" (C14) was a Crown Colony-class cruiser of the British Royal Navy. The ship was named after Kenya, a British possession at the time of the ship's construction.

Early career

Convoy escort

"Kenya" was launched on 18 August 1939 from the yards of Alexander Stephen and Sons, Glasgow, Scotland, and after a work up period, was commissioned on 27 September 1940. 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 23 September, "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 Vardø. 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 Vågsøy 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 15 February, she docked in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa, undocking on 10 March. 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 26 January, (Operation “Sankey”). During February - March "Kenya" carrying the flag of Vice Admiral Walker, escorted the escort carriers HMS "Empress" and HMS "Ameer" so they could carry out air photo reconnaissance. Aircraft from the carriers also made raids on Japanese shipping in the Andaman Sea. In April she returned to the UK for refitting.

Post war

"Kenya" joined the American and West Indies Station with the 8th Cruiser Squadron in October 1946, but in December of the following year, she returned to the UK and was placed in the reserve. In May 1949 she was reactivated to replace HMS "London" on the Far East station. "London" was then paid off and scrapped.

The Korean War

"Kenya" participated in the blockade of the North Korean coast in July 1950. The "Kenya" arrived in Sasebo, Japan on 8 July and set sail for Korea on 16 July. Her first engagement came on 20 July when she bombarded a small island on the West Coast of Korea. Two days later she arrived back at Sasebo. The next sortie on 24 July followed a very similar pattern with a another small island being shelled on 27 July. On 1 August she sailed from Sasebo once more and on 5 August, "Kenya" and HMS "Belfast", supported by HMS "Cossack" and HMS "Charity", bombarded Inchon. "Kenya" expended some 163 rounds of 6 inch ammunition, whilst "Belfast" expended 252. There was a subsequent island bombardment on 1 September where 90 6 inch rounds were expended and more shelling of Inchon on 15 September where this time the "Kenya" fired 320 6 inch shells and 205 4 inch shells. In November "Kenya" returned to Hong Kong carrying Rear Admiral Andrewes's flag. The renewed communist offensive later that month led to Kenya’s return to Korea where she stood off Inchon for about 10 days. In January 1951, "Kenya", in company with HMS "Ceylon" and USS "Rochester", covered the evacuation of Inchon. In March she bombarded Choda Island in preparation for landing 200 ROK troops there. Unfortunately the troops never showed up.

After further patrols off Inchon her next action came on 11 April when she was ordered to leave Sasebo to search for a communist aircraft that had been shot down. She was called off the operation early to sail to Kure, Japan where Captain Podger took command of the ship on 22 April. In May she took position off Inchon and spent about 10 days there bombarding the land on several occasions. The patrols and bombardments continued throughout the summer – with a trip to Hong Kong that broke the monotony – until 25 August when she left Sasebo, via Hong Kong, for a refit at Singapore. She slipped the refit jetty on 12 November and rearmed before leaving the Far East Station on 17 November. Kenya docked in Malta on 10 December and at Gibraltar three days later before entering the English Channel on 16 December. By now she had steamed 63,000 miles in 12 months, this was reckoned to be four times her normal peace time steaming in a year. Since leaving Chatham in October 1949 she had steam on her main engines for 365 days by 16 July 1951. During operations in Korea she had expended 3,000 6 inch shells, 2,242 4 inch and 14,240 40mm bullets. She was credited with killing hundreds of enemy troops, and destroying strong points, shore batteries, barracks, arms dumps, munitions factories and vehicles.

Last years

In 1952 she was assigned to the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet. She completed her tour of duty in February 1953 and on returning to Portsmouth, was again reduced to the reserve.

In 1955 "Kenya" was refitted, and twin Bofors were installed in place of the pom-poms, the director aft was removed and two new small directors on either side of the bridge in place of the older type, immediately abaft the twin Bofors in “x” position, and a new type of director above “X” position. After completion of her refit , she was transferred to the American and West Indies Station where she joined the 8th Cruiser Squadron. In November 1956 "Kenya" returned to Portsmouth, where she served with the Home Fleet. In 1957 "Kenya" joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean Fleet as Flagship. In September 1958 "Kenya" returned to Portsmouth to be reduced to reserve, where she remained for the next four years. On 29 October 1962 "Kenya" was sold for scrap and was broken up at the Faslane yards of Ship-breaking Industries.

References

*Colledge
* [http://www.world-war.co.uk/index.php3 WWII cruisers]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4033.html HMS Kenya at Uboat.net]
* [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/fiji_class.htm Images of the Fiji class]