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THE KÖNIGSBERG INCIDENT
AND THE GREAT WAR IN EAST AFRICA
 
 
Introduction

The Königsberg Incident - I
The Königsberg Incident - II

A summary of her career

Animated Campaign Maps
The Indian Ocean and Rufiji Delta

Current Wrecks and Relics
A list of the latest sites



Animated Campaign Maps
The maps below are java animated features which show the general movements and summarized actions of Königsberg and some of the vessels whom she engaged. Clicking on the map links will open a small window that shows the animated feature. The window will close as soon as you leave this page or click on another map link.



Click here to view resizable animated combat map
First Königsberg Sortie
Before war started, Captain Looff took Königsberg to sea in order to avoid being trapped in the narrow harbor at Dar es Salaam. The departure was a close call, for as Königsberg departed the area she encountered three British cruisers of the Cape Squadron on their way to Zanzibar for recoaling. Because their very purpose in the area was to track Königsberg and sink or trap her in case of war, the discovery that Captain Looff had taken his ship to sea was a disappointment to the British, especially in light of Königsberg's evasion of the cruisers only a few hours later. Once war began, Königsberg initiated merchant warfare in the Gulf of Aden and steamed down the length of the East African coast before entering the Rufiji River delta in order to resupply.




Click here to view resizable animated combat map
The Rufiji River Delta 1914 - 1915
Soon after arriving up the Rufiji, Königsberg made her famous sortie against the harbor at Zanzibar where she sank two ships and shelled installations there. This Flash map shows events upon Königsberg's return to Rufiji from the Zanzibar sortie, which was made necessary by mechanical failure in one of her engines.




Click here to view resizable animated combat map
The Rufiji River Delta 1915
After months of failure in their attempts to sink Königsberg, the Royal Navy despatched two river monitors which had originally been slated to take part in the Gallipoli campaign. Their arrival marked the end of Königsberg's dominance of the inner delta area and after the first attempt which nearly resulted in the sinking of one monitor, Königsberg was sunk by several critical hits from their six inch guns. Königsberg was subsequently salvaged by the Germans, who used her main guns throughout the rest of the land campaign in East Africa.
 
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