Zanzibar and the Great WarOntheeveoftheFirstWorldWar,ZanzibarTownstoodnearthetopofAfricanCities.In1914its infrastructureincludingharborfacilities,communicationnetworksandhousingresources,were clearlyaspiringtomakeitamoderncity.Intermsofhumanresourcesitspeoplewereknownfor theirindustry,diversityandsophistication,thecitywassometimesreferredtoas"theParisof Africa." Thegovernmentoperatedonadual-rulemodelwiththeSultanadministeringsomefacetsof trade,civilorderandIslamiclaws;whiletheBritishcontrolledthemostimportantcityservices, themilitary,andtaxcollection.Inthetwodecadessincethe1896shortestwarBritain’s connectiontoZanzibarhadbeensecuredandexpandedintoaworking,ifunevenpartnership.As warcloudsbegantogatherinEuropethatsolemnNovember,theIslandsandespeciallythe Stone Town environs were solidly in the British camp.WordofthedeclarationofWarbetweenGermanyandGreatBritainwasflashedtoZanzibar almostinstantlyviatheunderwatertelegraphcablethathadbeenlaidtoStoneTownfromAden in1900.WhentheZanzibariandBritishleadershipmeettoreviewthesituation,theyfoundtheir prospectsgrim.Theleadersfirstlamentedthealmostcompletelackofmainlandcoastaldefenses save for the ancient Fort at Mombasa. Then the British military report noted: "EvenmoreanxiouswasthesituationinZanzibarforthatIslandwithnofixed defenseslaywithin20milesoftheGermancoast....awealthyseaport....Zanzibar was an obvious objective for the enemy."The Land Forces:YoungmenfromtheZanzibarareawerefirstenrolledinbytheBritisharmyintoasingle regimentnamedtheEastAfricanRifles.In1902thisunitwasreorganizedasthe3rd Battalion of the newly created Kings African Rifles. Theoriginalcomplimentfor3rdBattalioncalledfor900men;“300Punjabis,100 Sudanese,300Swahilisanda‘mixedforce’of200men.”Itisfromamongthelasttwo categories that the Zanzibari men would have been recruited.Justasmalldetachmentofthe3rdbattalionwasonZanzibarthatAugust,about115men.The bulk of the unit was posted on the mainland, and far to the north. TheonlyothertroopsinZanzibar,whenthewarstartedwere the Sultan's Palace guard. PerhapstheonlypositivenotewasthereadinessofthelocalpoliceconstabularyinZanzibar.It wasthoughtthatthesewelltrainedmenmightserveasnon-commissionedofficersinalocally recruited civil defense force.Forthetheirimmediateneedshowever,theBritishlookedtotheIndianArmytosupplymenfor thedefenseofEastAfrica.TheyalsolookedtotheRoyalNavytoblockanyinvasionthreatto Zanzibar. Both of these plans were to be sorely tested in the coming fight.OntheGermanside,thelocallandforcesweremorereadyforwar. TheGermanequivalentoftheKARwastheSchutztruppe. Establishedin1889thisforcehad25yearsofexperiencefightingon homeground.Theygainedbattleexperiencedduringnumerous coastaluprising,includingtheAbushiriRebellion,1888-1890,theHeHe War,1891-1898,andtheMaji-MajiRevolt,1905-1907.Howeverthey lackedtheammunitionandmaterialneededtofightaprotractedwar. Without re-supply they seemed unlikely to last long.BesidesthedirectmilitarythreattherewasalsoaconcernonZanzibar aboutpoliticalunrest.MostZanzibarishadnolovefortheGermans, duepartlytothemanyabusesandtheoccasionalsacrilegesreported bytheircoastal-mainlandcousins.Still,therewasaminoritywho mightbespurredtoactionifthewarwentwellfortheGermans.The sameBritishreportnotedthisthreat,"...afurtherrisklayinthefactthatSayyidKhaled, deposedfromthesultanate...yearsearlier,waslivingin(Germancontrolled)Dar-es-Salaam and could claim many sympathizers in Zanzibar."Opening Acts near Zanzibar:One of the first acts of this first global conflict occurred in Zanzibar. UponreceivingthewaralertonAugust4th1914aPortOfficialondutyattheZanzibarHarbor orderedtheZanzibarpolicetheretoseizetheGermanregisteredSeaTug"Helmuth"whichwas anchoredneartheGermanembassy.ThisshipwastheonlyGermanvesseltheninZanzibari waters.TheseizureoftheHelmutheffectivelycutofftheonlyescaperouteforanumberof Germannationalslivinginthecity.Mostofthesecivilianswereinternedforatimeandthen repatriated safely.Inthesefirstdaysofthewartherewasagreatzealtotakethefighttotheenemywhereverhe couldbereached.OnAugust8th,whileEuropestillmobilized,theveryfirstnavalactionofWorld War 1 occurred when the H.M.S. Astrae raided the Dar es Salaam Harbor. TheAstraedestroyedthewirelessstationwithshell fireandthensentboardingpartiesontotwo anchoredGermanmerchantvessels,scuttlingthem both.TheGermans,fearingthattheBritishmight seizeandusetheHarbor,thenthemselvessankan additionalship(TheS.S.Konig)inordertoplugthe harbor entrance. World War One on the East African CoastPhoto from the Zanzibar ArchivesPhoto by P. de Lord n33 The emblem is in the form of the Number 3, in the Arabic Language.Thenextfortnightwasspentbybothsidesinorganizingandbuildinguptheirdefenses.The GermansinDaresSalaamcontinuedtoworryaboutaBritishattempttoseizethatcitywhilethe British worried about possible attacks on Zanzibar and/or Mombasa. Itwasduringthistimewhenbothsidesmadeeffortstorecruitlocalcoastalresidentsandform volunteermilitiaunits.ThefourunitsmostaffiliatedwithZanzibarandtheMremaCoastwere: *theZanzibarRifles,*theMafiaRiles,*Wavell’sArabsand*theArabCorps.Threeofthese unitsfoughtfortheBritishside.onlyone,the‘ArabCorps’supportedtheGermans.TheArabCorps was raised in Dar es Salaam with the help of the ex-Sultan of Zanzibar Kaylid bin Barghash. Theseformationswereallinfantryunitsandallwouldsoontakepartinthefight,butfirstanaval battle in Zanzibar Harbor would grab the world’s attention. British war-ship.The sinking of the HMS PegasusAfterH.M.S.AstraeshelledDaresSalaamshemovedsouth,awayfromZanzibar.Thatlefther sistership,theH.M.S.Pegasus,astheonlywar-shipinZanzibarwaters.ThePegasustoowas eagertotakethefighttotheenemy,onAug.17sheraidedtheGermanheldportofTanga,(and disabledtheGermanmerchantshipMarkgraf).OnAugust26thsheraidedthemainlandtownof Bagamoyo. TheshipthenretiredtoadefensivepostingintheZanzibarharbor.After3weeksofwaitingthe captaindecideditwasagoodtimetoclean-outhercoalfiredengines.Withherenginesoff-line shewaspresentedasittingtargetforthebestwarshipinEastAfricaatthetime,theS.M. Konigsberg. ThatGermanlight-cruisercamerushingthroughthe“FrenchPass”approachtoZanzibarCityon themorningofSept.20.1914.Sheopenedfirewithgunsthatweremoreaccurateandhada longerrangethananythingtheBritishhad.Inlessthan10minutesthestationaryPegasuswasa burning wreck. The British captain (Commander John Ingles) struck his flag, indicating surrender. TheKonigsbergreversedcourse,beganlayingminesneartheharbor(mineswhichprovedtobe imitations)andthensailedaway,withoutmakinganyattempttoseizeofshellthedefenseless city.Shedidhowever,fireontheex-GermantugHelmuth,towhichtheBritishhadaddedasmall cannon and renamed the H.M.S. Helmuth. The tug was damaged but was later repaired. TheshockofthislosssentashiverthroughtheBritishMilitary.Sucha losssoearlyinthewarwasseenasbadformoralandthereforeefforts were made to suppress and alter the news of the battle. Theshipwasinitiallydescribedas‘disabled’ratherthansunk.Andeven thoughthecaptainadmittedtointentionallysurrenderingtheshipa fantasticstoryofalonesailordefiantlyholdingaloftabatteredflaguntil hetoowasstruckdown,wascirculatedinhopesofgeneratingpatriotic fever. Inreality38seamanonthePegasusandoneontheHelmuthdiedthat morning.Manyotherswerewounded.Thedeadwereburiedonasmall isle in Zanzibar Harbor, That isle is still known today as Grave Island. War PropagandaThe tree in the background, right, still is growing there today. 2017The Arab Rifles and The Arab Corps in battle.Even before all the British burials could be complete the Germans struck again. Thenextday,Sept.21,1914some500troops,with6machine-guns,marchednorthfromTanga, outofGermanEastAfrica,alongthecoastandintoBritishEastAfrica,arrivingjustsouthof Mombasa, at a town named Jasin. ThedirethreatthismoveposedtoMombasacannotbeexaggerated.Mombasawasthenheld onlybyafewKARsoldiers,thepoliceandsomeBritishcivilianvolunteers,includingsomeretired navalofficerswhoreportedlysetupagunpositionintheoldFortMombasa,usingamodified signalcannon.However,Mombasadidhaveoneuniqueforce,oneraisedbyalocalSisalfarmer named Arthur Wavell. WavellnamedthisunittheArabRifles,butmanyothersreferredtoitassimplyasWavell’s Arabs.Hehadrecruited200Muslimmenfromthecity,andpledgedtotrainandequipthem himself.ArabicandSwahiliyoungmenjoinedwillingly,eagertoservewithacommanderwho showedgreatrespectandunderstandingofIslamicpractices.HisinterestinIslambeganshortly afterhisarrivalinMombasain1905.Thatinterestgrewandeventuallyheundertookapilgrimage to Mecca, in 1908. Retired British Officer, in Arabic clothing.WhenwordreachedWavellthattheGermanswereonthemarchheandhismenwereencamped neartheborder,atatownnamedMajoreni.TheretheheandtheArabRifleshadalreadybeenin action.OnAugust30th,theyhadattackedanddriventheGermanfrontierguardsoutofJasin town.SincethentheyhadworkedtoimprovethedefensesaroundMajoreni.NowtheGermans had reoccupied Jasin and were clearly preparing to attack. ThebattleofMajorenistartedonSeptember22,1914.TheGermansdeployedintwocolumns, onecolumncrossedtheMwenariverandpushedontoMajoreniwheretheyencounteredthe mini-fortthatWavell’smenhadthrowntogetherinrecordtime.TheretheGermansfaltered,they hammeredalldayinvainattheBritishredoubtwiththeirheavymachineguns.Mineshampered anyGermanattemptstomaneuverandtheytookcasualtiesfromthewellaimedriflesofWavell’s men. As night fell the Germans retreated, back south across the Mwena river. TheArabRifleshadheld-outcourageouslyandtheysufferedtwomenkilledandsevenwounded. AmongthewoundedwasCaptainWavell,hereceivedaseverearmwound.Moreovertheylacked theammunitiontocontinueanyfurtherall-daybattles.ThereforetheArabRiflesfellbackthe nextday,furthernorthtowardthetownofGazi.Theirrearguardwasactive,slowingand harassing the Germans who were on the march again, north toward Mombasa. ThesedelaysallowedtheBritishtimetorushreinforcementstothearea.TroopsfromIndiahad finallyreachedMombasa.The29thPunjabbattalionimmediatelyrushed2company’ssouth,they weresoonjoinedby2KARcompany’s,andfinallyWavell’sbatteredArabRifleslinkedupto formed a defensive perimeter near Gazi, only 22 miles from Mombasa. TheGermansattackedGazionOctober7th,1914.FourSchutztruppecompany’sandthesmall ArabCorps,(coastalArabsalliedwiththeGermans)launchedtheassaultthroughlowbush countryandacrossplantationfields.Thebattleragedallmorning,withtheGermanscontinuingto advanceinthefaceofheavyfire.Then,justbeforenoontheKARmencounterattacked.The Germans beat off that counterattack but their own advance had halted. WhiletheGermanspausedtoreorganizetheBritishwithdrewtomoreprepareddefensive positionsandrefreshedthemselvesbriefly.SoontheGermansrenewedtheiradvance.Butagain theKARmenandtheArabRiflessprangupandchargedforwardincounterattack.Thistimethe Germanadvancecollapsedcompletely.BylateafternoontheGermanswereinfullretreat.They never again were able to pose a serious threat to Mombasa.ThemenoftheArabCorps,fightingwiththeGermans,sufferedanumberofcasualtiesinthis actionandtheycomplainedbitterlyabouttheirequipment.Theywerearmedwithobsoleterifles thatwereslowandfiredblackpowder,thatgaveawaytheirpositions.Wavell’sArabswerearmed with modern rifles that fired smokeless powder. ManysaidthatWavellandhisArabRifleshadsavedMombasa.WavellwaspromotedtoMajorand apublicgardeninthecitywasnamedinhishonor.AfterspendingsomeweeksinhospitalWavell rejoinedhismen,whowerestilldefendingtheborderjustsouthofMombasa.Itwasthere,later in the war, that Major Wavell was killed in a German ambush. TheArabRiflesconvertedtoaReserveKARcompanyafterWavell’sdeath.AsfortheArabCorps ontheotherside,theydisbandedaftertheirdefeatatGazi.AfterGazirecruitingadequate replacements for that unit proved impossible. Also known as Wavell's ArabsThe Zanzibar Rifles and Mafia Rifles:OnZanzibarthestruggleforMombasawasfollowedwithkeeninterest.Theimportanceofa ‘HomeGuard’hadbeenmadecleartoallinthatfallof1914.AuthoritiesonZanzibarhadalready startedtomobilizeallavailablemanpower.ThePoliceweremilitarizedandex-soldierswerecalled backintotheranks.InMarch27,1915CaptainG.C.DentonoftheIndianArmywasappointed commanderof‘alltroopsintheZanzibarProtectorate’.Thesetroopswerecalledthe“Zanzibar TownGuard”AmonthlaterCaptainDentonchangedhiscommandsnametothe“Zanzibar Volunteer Defense Force.” Eightmonthslater,onDec.7th1915,DentonwasreassignedandMr.RobertWithycombwas givencommandoftheZVDFandcommissionedLieutenant.InFeb2016,theZVDFwasofficially amalgamatedwithacompanyof“ZanzibarCivilNativePolice”andtherebygrewtoatotaloffour platoons(andaband).TheplatooncommandersappointedthatFebruarywere“Temporary SecondLieutenant’s”B.C.Johnson,S.River-Smith,S.P.BlandandLt.CommanderAllenMilbourn Clark. (RN retired). Thelastman,AllenClark,isanenigmaticfigureinZanzibarhistory.HetookupXdifferent assignments for Zanzibar during the war