page_title: Battle for Lake Tanganyika
section_title: Kingani is captured
hierarchical_section_title: Battle for Lake Tanganyika / Battle / Kingani is captured
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Deutscher Zollkreuzer „Kingani“ mit Geschützfloß im Ersten Weltkrieg. Region: Ostafrika Tanganjikasee Text auf der Hülle: Neg. Kpt. Zimmer / Kingani mit Geschützfloss Slovenščina: Nemška carinska ladja »Kingani«&#160;med 1. svetovno vojno.
context_page_description: The Battle for Lake Tanganyika was a series of naval engagements that took place between elements of the Royal Navy, Force Publique and the Kaiserliche Marine between December 1915 and July 1916, during the First World War. The intention was to secure control of the strategically important Lake Tanganyika, which had been dominated by German naval units since the beginning of the war. The British forces — consisting of two motor boats named HMS Mimi and Toutou — were under the command of the eccentric Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Spicer-Simson. The boats were transported to South Africa and from there by railway, by river, and by being dragged through the African jungle, to the lake.
  In two short engagements, the small motor boats attacked and defeated two of their German opponents. In the first action, on 26 December 1915 Kingani was damaged and captured, becoming HMS Fifi. In the second, the small flotilla overwhelmed and sank Hedwig von Wissmann. The Germans maintained a third large and heavily armed craft on the lake, Graf von Götzen; this craft was attacked indecisively by Belgian aircraft and was subsequently scuttled.
context_section_description: Mimi and Toutou set out of the harbour after Kingani had passed by. Unexpectedly finding himself pursued by two motor boats flying the white ensign, Junge ordered that the speed be increased. Kingani′s six-pounder gun could only fire forward, however, and the faster and more nimble motor boats were able to close the range and open fire with their three-pounder guns, while avoiding the German′s fire. After a short action lasting 11 minutes, Kingani was hit on her gun, the shell passing through the gunshield and killing Junge
  and two petty officers, Penne and Schwarz. After several more hits, her chief engineer hauled down the colours and the British took possession of her. Junge and four dead crewmembers were buried; one African crewman was allowed to stay on Kingani as a stoker and three German and eight Africans were prisoners of war. After a hole in Kingani′s hull had been patched, she was taken into service as HMS Fifi. Spicer-Simson explained that Fifi meant "tweet-tweet" in French, and was suggested by the wife of a Belgian officer who had a small caged bird.
  Her six-pounder gun was moved to her stern, while one of the 12-pounder guns that had been mounted ashore was fixed to the bows. The Admiralty were impressed by the expedition's achievements, Spicer-Simson was specially promoted to commander from the date of the action, and a message was sent which read "His Majesty The King desires to express his appreciation of the wonderful work carried out by his most remote expedition"; The Colonial Office also expressed its approbation. Zimmer did not immediately send Hedwig to investigate the disappearance of Kingani, possibly being too busy transporting troops and supplies. The storm season in January also made navigation of the lake dangerous for vessels smaller than Götzen.
caption: The Kingani on Lake Tanganyika before being captured.
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