The faster and more nimble motor boats were able to chase down Kingani, which was unable to bring her larger weapon to bear on the small vessels without turning to face them.

She supported further Allied operations on the lake, which involved working with land forces, but the flotilla did not participate in any offensive actions, and the last remaining German vessel, Graf von Götzen, was left unmolested.

Kingani was one of two screw steamers constructed by Meyer-Werft in Papenburg, Germany in 1893/4 for service as customs cruisers in the German East Africa.

[1] These ships had secured control of Lake Tanganyika after destroying the Belgian steamer Alexandre del Commune shortly after the start of the war, and were being used by the Germans to support their land forces in the region.

[4] In response to these raids, and needing to secure control of the lake to prevent German raids and to support their own troops in the field, the Admiralty despatched an expedition, led by Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Spicer-Simson, to transport two motor boats named HMS Mimi and HMS Toutou by sea, rail, river and road to the lake.

Rosenthal took Kingani close to Kalemie, where work was underway to construct a harbour to base Mimi and Toutou, but had to keep clear of two 12-pounder guns that were being used as shore batteries.

[7][13] Still lacking detailed information on Belgian plans, Zimmer sent Junge to carry out a reconnaissance mission, and on 26 December Kingani again approached Kalemie.

Eventually the British scored a direct hit, a three-pounder shell passing through the gunshield and killing Junge, and two petty officers, Penne and Schwarz.

He continued towards the shore until making a sharp turn to port at 9.30am, either attempting to lure them toward Götzen, or having been fooled by an optical illusion into thinking the approaching vessels were larger than he had first thought.

[27] As fires began to spread through the stricken craft Odebrecht gave the order to abandon ship, and set explosive charges to destroy the sinking vessel.

[28] The flotilla returned to shore with their prisoners, and the following day Götzen appeared offshore, steaming slowly past in search of the missing Hedwig.

[29] Naval operations on the lake largely ceased thereafter, and by May the Belgians were about to capture Kigoma and a British force was pushing north towards Bismarckburg.

The expedition received orders to support the land operations from the lake, and the flotilla, consisting of Mimi, Toutou, Fifi and Vengeur arrived off Bismarckburg on 5 June.

[26][30] The naval expeditionary force remained at Bismarckburg, where Spicer-Simson was chastened to learn that the fort's guns were in fact wooden dummies.