HMS Helmuth was a German tug that the Royal Navy captured at the beginning of World War I and armed as a picket boat.

She served in the East African campaign including the battles of Zanzibar and Tanga, she survived a German attack at Dar es Salaam, and took part in blockading SMS Königsberg in the Rujifi Delta.

When Königsberg appeared at the harbour mouth on 20 September 1914, Helmuth was unable to warn the protected cruiser HMS Pegasus, which was in port repairing her engines.

On leaving the harbour, Königsberg fired several shots at Helmuth, driving her crew overboard and killing a native working in the engine room.

[4] Early on the morning of 22 July 1916 the kite balloon ship HMS Manica suffered a small fire in Zanzibar harbour.