Königsberg and the naval war in German East Africa

Königsberg's crew removed guns from the cruiser and used them as land artillery in German East Africa. Naval weapons and personnel therefore continued serving the campaign ashore. In the Rufiji Delta, Severn and Mersey shelled the cruiser with help from aerial observation. Air spotting for ship gunfire is identified as an early feature of that operation. The two episodes connect the land campaign with naval gunnery and reconnaissance along the coast.