Kenya acquired the nickname Pink Lady from her Mountbatten-pink camouflage during operations off Norway. Pink looked poorly suited to the intimidating presence expected from a warship, although it was intended to blend with haze. During the commando raid against Vågsøy, German pink marker dye may also have made the cruiser harder to distinguish from shell splashes. The example separates a warship's psychological appearance from camouflage intended to frustrate enemy range correction. After escorting Convoy PQ 12 to Murmansk, Kenya carried ten tons of Soviet gold back to Britain for safekeeping. Her next assignments included Far Eastern service and Operation Pedestal, moving the cruiser between Arctic escort, strategic transport, and a major Mediterranean convoy.
Chapter · 34:09-36:42
Kenya's pink camouflage and Arctic convoy service
Kenya's Mountbatten-pink camouflage, Norwegian operations, convoy escort, and Soviet gold shipment show the variety of Arctic cruiser work.