The Konigsberg was a small light cruiser with ten 105mm guns. These German light cruisers were reliable, beautiful, durable ships, but were often pitted against newer or much larger British adversaries resulting in a high rate of loss. This battle was one of the few occasions where a German raider met an opponent of the same type.
The British ships
The Pegasus was also a small light cruiser with 8 4-inch guns. It was slightly older than the German ship and the German 105mm (4.1-inch) guns were much superior weapons. Two other British cruisers had been hunting the Konigsberg also, but the Pegasus, stopped at Zanzibar for repairs, faced its enemy alone.
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