The Commander-in-Chief, Africa was the last title of a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
's formation commander located in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
from 1795 to 1939. Under varying titles, it was one of the longest-lived formations of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
. It was also often known as the Cape of Good Hope Station.
History
From 1750 to 1779 the
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa.
A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...
became strategically important due to the increasing competition between France and Great Britain for control of the seas. In 1780 Holland joined the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
in alliance with France and Spain against Great Britain; the British Government were aware of the consequences should the Cape of Good Hope fall and the impact it would have on its trade links with India and put a plan into place to capture the Cape and circumvent its use by the enemy. The first attempt was subject to prolonged delays and the fact that the French were able to reinforce their defences enabled them to successfully defend it from the British attack. From 1781 to 1791 various attempts were made to capture the station: all failed and it remained under the control of France and the French were successful in attacking and disrupting the trade cargo of the
East India Company's ships that were travelling between
Asian subcontinent and Europe. In 1792 hostilities temporarily ceased and by 1793 the Directors of the East India Company expressed their concern about the cape being retained by the French. The
British government
ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd
, image = HM Government logo.svg
, image_size = 220px
, image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
, image_size2 = 180px
, caption = Royal Arms
, date_es ...
and the
Admiralty decided to act and successfully retook it in 1795: the first Naval base was established at
Table Bay
Table Bay ( Afrikaans: ''Tafelbaai'') is a natural bay on the Atlantic Ocean overlooked by Cape Town (founded 1652 by Van Riebeeck) and is at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula, which stretches south to the Cape of Good Hope. It was name ...
.
In 1802 the British government agreed to restore the Cape to the Dutch control but this was not finalized until 1803 and lasted until 1806, when a new British Administration under
William Pitt cancelled the agreement between both countries and re-took the Cape once more in 1806, which effectively from this point on remained under British control. In 1811 the Royal Navy decided it wanted to move from its current base to a new base at
Simon's Town
Simon's Town ( af, Simonstad), sometimes spelled Simonstown, is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa and is home to Naval Base Simon's Town, the South African Navy's largest base. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern sid ...
bay; however the initial facilities took approximately three years to complete and were not ready until 1814.
From 1815 to 1849 the base was mainly used for re-fitting and repair work on vessels and acted as a port of call for nautical surveyors who were mapping the region. During the 1850s and 1860s improvements were made to the dockyard facilities with some being re-built in order to accommodate larger ships. On 17 January 1865, it was combined with the
East Indies Station
The East Indies Station was a formation and command of the British Royal Navy. Created in 1744 by the Admiralty, it was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies.
Even in official documents, the term ''East Indies Station'' wa ...
to form the East Indies and Cape of Good Hope Station; however, the station was recreated as a separate station on 29 July 1867. From 1870, it absorbed the former
West Africa Squadron
The West Africa Squadron, also known as the Preventative Squadron, was a squadron of the British Royal Navy whose goal was to suppress the Atlantic slave trade by patrolling the coast of West Africa. Formed in 1808 after the British Parliame ...
. By the start of the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
in 1899 a long period of relative peace had existed; the station became the main base for British Forces disembarking and embarking during the war and for supplies and equipment being shipped from Britain for the duration of the conflict.
First World War
In 1910 a new East Dock was built together with a dry dock facility which proved timely in the event of the breakout of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fighti ...
. From 1914 to 1919 its primary tasks was to seek out and destroy German commerce raiders.
HMS ''Pegasus'' remained as part of the Cape Station on the outbreak of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fighti ...
. As the likelihood of war with Germany increased, the Commander-in-Chief on the Cape Station, Rear Admiral
Herbert King-Hall, deployed his ships in order to counter the threat posed by the German light cruiser , based at
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam (; from ar, دَار السَّلَام, Dâr es-Selâm, lit=Abode of Peace) or commonly known as Dar, is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over ...
. On 31 July 1914, ''Pegasus'' sighted ''Königsberg'' leaving Dar es Salaam, but was unable to keep track of the faster German cruiser.
King-Hall recognised that ''Königsberg'' outclassed ''Pegasus'' and intended that ''Pegasus'' should operate with the cruiser while his flagship operated independently to protect the trade routes around the Cape, but on 12 August, the
Admiralty ordered ''Astraea'' to join ''Hyacinth'' off the Cape to escort troop convoys, leaving ''Pegasus'' unsupported at
Zanzibar
Zanzibar (; ; ) is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small isla ...
.
On 23 August ''Pegasus'' sailed to the port of
Bagamoyo
Bagamoyo, is a historic coastal town founded at the end of the 18th century, though it is an extension of a much older (8th century) Swahili settlement, Kaole. It was chosen as the capital of German East Africa by the German colonial administrat ...
in
German East Africa
German East Africa (GEA; german: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was a German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Mozamb ...
with the intention of forcing a truce so that the port would take no further part in the war. Similar agreements had previously been made with the authorities of Dar es Salaam and
Tanga.
When the port authorities refused to agree to such a truce, ''Pegasus'' shelled the port's Customs House.
During the interwar period the Cape Station resumed the work of maintaining and refitting vessels stationed there and those travelling en route to Asia. In 1939, at the start of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the base played an early prominent role in the
Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, ran from 1939 to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, covering a major part of the naval history of World War II. At its core was the Allied naval blockad ...
, and the hunt for the
German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee
''Admiral Graf Spee'' was a "''Panzerschiff''" (armored ship), nicknamed a "pocket battleship" by the British, which served with the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. The vessel was named after World War I Admiral Maximilian ...
, that led to the
Battle of the River Plate
The Battle of the River Plate was fought in the South Atlantic on 13 December 1939 as the first naval battle of the Second World War. The Kriegsmarine heavy cruiser , commanded by Captain Hans Langsdorff, engaged a Royal Navy squadron, comman ...
. After the conclusion of that engagement the station ceased as a command operations center with the senior naval staff moving to the newly formed
South Atlantic station headquartered at Freetown. The naval base remained as part of that command until 1957. In 1958 the British government handed over the facility to the
South African Navy
The South African Navy (SA Navy) is the naval warfare branch of the South African National Defence Force.
The Navy is primarily engaged in maintaining a conventional military deterrent, participating in counter-piracy operations, fishery prote ...
.
Commanders-in-Chief
The commanders-in-chief were:
= died in post
Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope
*Vice-Admiral
George Keith Elphinstone
George Keith Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith (7 January 1746 – 10 March 1823), was a British naval officer active throughout the Napoleonic Wars.
Career Early service
George Elphinstone was the fourth son of Charles Elphinstone, 10th ...
, (1795–96)
*Rear-Admiral
Thomas Pringle
Thomas Pringle (5 January 1789 – 5 December 1834) was a Scottish writer, poet and abolitionist. Known as the father of South African poetry, he was the first successful English language poet and author to describe South Africa's scenery, nati ...
, (1796–98)
*Rear-Admiral
Sir Hugh Cloberry Christian, (1798)
*Vice-Admiral
Sir Roger Curtis, (1799-03)
''Note: from 1803-06 a Dutch colony''
*Commodore
Sir Home Riggs Popham, (1806–07)
*Rear-Admiral
Charles Stirling, (1807–08)
*Commodore
Josias Rowley
Admiral Sir Josias Rowley, 1st Baronet, (1765 – 10 January 1842), known as "The Sweeper of the Seas", was an Anglo-Irish naval officer who commanded the campaign that captured the French Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mauritius in 1810 ...
, (1808)
*Vice-Admiral
Sir Albemarle Bertie, (1808–10)
*Rear-Admiral
Robert Stopford
Robert Wright Stopford, (20 February 1901 – 13 August 1976) was a British Anglican bishop.
Early life and education
Stopford was born in Garston, Merseyside (then in Lancashire), and educated at Coatham School in Redcar and Liverpool Coll ...
, (1810–12)
*Rear-Admiral
Charles Tyler, (1812–14)
*Rear-Admiral
George Cockburn
Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet, (22 April 1772 – 19 August 1853) was a British Royal Navy officer. As a captain he was present at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797 during the French Revolutionary Wars an ...
, (1815–16)
*Rear-Admiral
Robert Plampin, (1816–20)
*Rear-Admiral
Robert Lambert, (1820–21)
*Commodore
James Lillicrap, (1821–22)
*Commodore
Joseph Nourse, (1822–24)
*Commodore
Robert Moorsom
Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom KCB (8 June 1760 – 14 April 1835) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. His very active service career was especial ...
, (1825)
*Commodore
Hood Hanway Christian, (1825–27)
*Commodore
William Skipsey, (1827–28)
*Commodore
Charles Marsh Schomberg, (1828–31)
*Rear-Admiral
Frederick Warren
Frederick Warren (March 1775 – 22 March 1848) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the Gunboat War, rising to the rank of vice-admiral.
Life
Born in March 1775, he was son of R ...
, (1831–34)
*Rear-Admiral
Patrick Campbell, (1834–37)
*Rear-Admiral
George Elliot, (1837–40)
*Rear-Admiral
Sir Edward Durnford King, (1840–41)
*Rear-Admiral
Josceline Percy, (1841–46)
*Rear-Admiral
James Dacres, (1846)
*Rear-Admiral
Barrington Reynolds, (1848–52)
''Note:Incomplete list of commanders from 1853 to 1857''
Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station and West Africa Station
*Rear Admiral
Sir Frederick Grey (1857-1860)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Henry Keppel (1860)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Baldwin Walker (1861-1865)
Commander-in-Chief, East Indies & Cape of Good Hope Station
* Commodore
Frederick Montresor (1865)
* Commodore
Charles Hillyar (1865–1867)
Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station and West Africa Station
*Commodore
Sir William Dowell (1867-1871)
*Commodore
Sir John Commerell (1871-1873)
*Commodore
Sir William Hewett (1873-1876)
*Commodore
Sir Francis Sullivan (1876-1879)
*Commodore
Sir Frederick Richards (1879-1882)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Nowell Salmon (1882-1885)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Walter Hunt-Grubbe (1885-1888)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Richard Wells (1888-1890)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Henry Nicholson (1890-1892)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Frederick Bedford (1892-1895)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Harry Rawson (1895-1898)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Robert Harris (1898-1900)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Arthur Moore (1901-1903)
*Rear Admiral
Sir John Durnford (1904-1907)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Edmund Poë (1907-1908)
*Rear Admiral
Sir George Egerton (1908-1910)
*Rear Admiral
Sir Paul Bush (1910-1913)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Herbert King-Hall (1913-1916)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Edward Charlton (1916-1918)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Edward Fitzherbert (1918-1920)
Commander-in-Chief, Africa Station
*Vice Admiral
Sir William Goodenough (1920-1922)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Rudolph Bentinck (1922-1924)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice (1924-1926)
*Vice Admiral
Sir David Anderson (1926-1929)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Rudolf Burmester (1929-1931)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Hugh Tweedie (1931-1933)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Edward Evans (1933-1935)
*Vice Admiral
Sir Francis Tottenham (1935-1938)
*Vice Admiral
Sir George Lyon (1938-1939), who then became
Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic
The Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic was an operational commander of the Royal Navy from 1939. The South American area was added to his responsibilities in 1960, and the post disestablished in 1967.
Immediately before the outbreak of the Sec ...
, 1939-40.
See also
*
List of fleets and major commands of the Royal Navy
References
Sources
*
*
*Rodger, N.A.M. ''The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649-1815''. New York and London: W.W. Norton and Company, 2004.
*
Further reading
*Miller, Nathan. Broadsides: ''The Age of Fighting Sail, 1775-1815'' . New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2000.
{{Royal Navy fleets
Commanders-in-chief of the Royal Navy
Military units and formations established in 1857
Military units and formations disestablished in 1939
1857 establishments in the British Empire