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 was operating in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa fighting to suppress the Eastern 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.
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, the light crusiers Hyacinth,, and. Unable to steam into the river to destroy Konigsberg, the Royal Navy ships set up a blockade. 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.
British forces' principal role was to protect British commerce from German surface raiders – seen as a priority in 1914–1915.
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 subsided.
During this period at least two naval air stations were established: RNAS Kilidini ; RNAS Mackinnon Road both used 1942-44. RAF Port Reitz nearby was also used by the Fleet Air Arm while the Eastern Fleet was in the area.
Local European naval reserve forces included the Tanganyika Naval Volunteer Force and the Zanzibar Naval Volunteer Force. Following the Second World War Kilidini became the headquarters for the Royal East African Navy from 1952 to 1962.
RN posts in East Africa, First World War
The operation against the Konigsberg was commanded by Rear-Admiral King-Hall, Commander-in-Chief of the Cape Station.Naval Officer-in-Charge, Zanzibar 1918-19
Senior Naval Officer, Tanganyika 1918-19
Officer Commanding, RNAS East Indies Naval Air Station 1915
Commander and posts Second World War
Commodore, Naval Air Stations, East Africa
Senior British Naval Officer, Kilindini
Naval units in this command
Various units that served in this command included:| Units | Date | Notes |
| Three cruisers, monitors and, an armed merchant cruiser | 1915 | allocated to East Africa |
| 4 cruisers, 2 AMCs, 2 monitors, 1 kite balloon ship | 1916 | allocated to East Africa; HMS Manica, kite balloon ship, April-November 1916. |
| 3 cruisers, 2 monitors, 1 AMC, 1 sloop, 1 gunboat | 1917 | ditto |
| 4th Cruiser Squadron | 1942 | as part of Eastern Fleet transferred to Kilidini |
| Tanganyika Naval Volunteer Force | 1939–1942 | minesweeping, coast watching and coastal patrol duties and manning of signal stations |
| Zanzibar Naval Volunteer Force | 1939–1942 | ditto |
| East African Naval Force | 1942 – 13 May 1952 | formed from the merger of TNVF and ZNVF into one command |
| Royal East African Navy | 13 May 1952 - 1962 | EANF renamed in May 1952 |