East Africa Station

The Royal Navy was active in East African waters from the 1850s to the 1960s.
Elements of the Royal Navy from the East Indies were involved in suppressing the slave trade in the 1860s, and during the First World War, the Commander-in-Chief at the Cape, Admiral King-Hall, expended much effort to destroy the elusive German light cruiser "Königsberg."
During the Second World War a distinct East African formation was established, commanded by the Flag Officer, East Africa.
History.
During the 1850s and 1860s the Royal Navy fought to suppress the slave trade operating out of Zanzibar up to the North Coast of the Arabian Sea. An East African Squadron was active in suppressing slavery in 1869, part of the East Indies Station. The mission of Sir Bartle Frere in 1869 "produced.. a recommendation that a guardship be permanently stationed off the Zanzibar coast." Britain's real intentions in East Africa was to stop other European naval powers from establishing any similar bases in the region, and the station's purpose was to protect British trade interests passing through the Western Indian Ocean. Rawley writes that Captain George Sulivan and his successor directed the activities of the old ship-of-the-line , reequipped as both prison and hospital, with some success. "London" served as a base for cruisers operating against the slaving dhows, for four years.
In the early twentieth century HMNB Zanizibar was primarily used as a coaling station. Prior to World War I British naval operations were gradually scaled down.
British forces' principal role was to protect British commerce from German surface raiders – seen as a priority in 1914–1915. As the likelihood of war with Germany increased, the Commander-in-Chief, Cape Station, Rear Admiral Herbert King-Hall, moved his ships in order to counter the threat posed by the German light cruiser , based at Dar es Salaam. On 31 July 1914, the British protected cruiser sighted "Königsberg" leaving Dar es Salaam, but was unable to keep track of the faster German cruiser. King-Hall recognised that "Königsberg" outclassed "Pegasus" and intended that "Pegasus" should operate with the cruiser while his flagship operated independently to protect the trade routes around the Cape, but on 12 August, the Admiralty ordered "Astraea" to join "Hyacinth" off the Cape to escort troop convoys, leaving "Pegasus" unsupported at Zanzibar. On 20 September 1914, "Königsberg" surprised and sank "Pegasus" in the Battle of Zanzibar.
"Königsberg" then retreated into the Rufiji River to repair her engines. Before the repairs could be completed, British cruisers located "Königsberg"; the Navy List for April 1915 lists on the East Coast of Africa under Part XI, Other Foreign Stations, page 22 (1363), the light cruisers Hyacinth, , and . Unable to steam into the river to destroy "Konigsberg", the Royal Navy ships set up a blockade. Aircraft were sent to join the effort and Squadron Commander Robert Gordon was appointed in January 1915 as commander of the Royal Naval Air Service in East Africa. After several attempts to sink the ship during the Battle of Rufiji Delta, the British sent two monitors, and , to destroy the German cruiser. On 11 July 1915, the two monitors got close enough to severely damage "Königsberg", forcing her crew to scuttle the ship.
After the seizure of German East Africa, the Royal Navy added a base in Tanganyika to the existing one at Zanzibar.
Naval Officers-in-Charge were in post at Tanganyika (12 September 1918 – April 1919) and Zanzibar (20 November 1918 – 1919) later in the war.
A base at Kilidini in Kenya was re-established in September 1939 at the start of the Second World War; Kenya was a British colony. Kilindini became the temporary home of Force B, the old R-class battleships of the Eastern Fleet, along with other ships, from early 1942, until the Japanese naval threat to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) subsided.
During this period at least two naval air stations were established: RNAS Kilidini (HMS "Kipanga") ; RNAS Mackinnon Road (HMS "Kipanga II") both used 1942–44. RAF Port Reitz nearby was also used by the Fleet Air Arm while the Eastern Fleet was in the area. Rear-Admiral F. Elliott served as Commodore, Naval Air Stations, East Africa, from 19 August 1943 until 1 January 1945.
Local European naval reserve forces included the Tanganyika Naval Volunteer Force (1939–1942), responsible for minesweeping, coast watching and coastal patrol duties and manning of signal stations and the Zanzibar Naval Volunteer Force (also 1939–1942). From 1942 the two were merged into the East African Naval Force, active until 13 May 1952, and then renamed the Royal East African Navy until 1962. Kilidini became the force's headquarters.
Naval units which served in East Africa.
Ships and units that served in East Africa included: