After searching for Goeben and Breslau, Chatham moved to East Africa following Königsberg's attack on Pegasus. The deployment began with a grounding near Zanzibar and rapid repairs at Mombasa before her boats found the steamer Präsident. Documents aboard contradicted the German claim that she was a hospital ship by identifying her as a supply vessel. Chatham's gunfire then set the supply ship Somali ablaze in the Rufiji Delta. With a draft of about 4.9 metres, the British cruisers could not follow Königsberg into the shallows, so scuttling the collier Newbridge in the main channel completed her containment.
Chapter · 8:48-12:37
HMS Chatham traps Königsberg in the Rufiji Delta
Chatham's East African deployment locates Königsberg, destroys her supply ship, and helps seal the Rufiji escape route.