SM U-41 (Germany)
Encyclopedia
SM U-41 was one of the 329 submarine
s serving in the Kaiserliche Marine
(Imperial German Navy) in World War I
. U-41 engaged in naval warfare
and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.
U-41 was sunk by British Q-ship
on September 24, 1915 in the Second Baralong Incident. At this stage in the war, U-boat commanders were under orders to scrupulously observe the rules of war (the "cruiser rules"). After spotting merchant targets, submarines surfaced nearby, boarded the ships, and searched for contraband. This prevented the sinking of neutral vessels, but exposed the submarines to great risk.
Prior to being sunk, a boarding party
from U-41 went aboard 6651 gross ton
merchantman
SS Urbino. After finding war material on board, the merchant crew were evacuated to lifeboats. (This was a violation of the cruiser rules, since lifeboats were not "a place of safety".) U-41 was in the process of sinking Urbino with gunfire when HMS Wyandra (in the guise of the American-flagged merchantman Baralong) arrived on the scene, flying an American flag. When U-41 approached, Wyandra, fired on and sank the U-boat without striking the American flag. This was a violation of the rules of war; while the use of a False Flag
was allowed, it was required that a belligerent identify themselves before initiating hostilities.
The event generated widespread outrage in Germany, especially among Kriegsmarine
officers. The sinking was also commemorated in a propaganda medal designed by the German engraver Karl Goetz.
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s serving in the Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
(Imperial German Navy) in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. U-41 engaged in naval warfare
Naval warfare of World War I
Naval warfare in World War I was mainly characterized by the efforts of the Allied Powers, with their larger fleets and surrounding position, to blockade the Central Powers by sea, and the efforts of the Central Powers to break that blockade or to establish an effective blockade of the United...
and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.
U-41 was sunk by British Q-ship
Q-ship
Q-ships, also known as Q-boats, Decoy Vessels, Special Service Ships, or Mystery Ships, were heavily armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the chance to open fire and sink them...
on September 24, 1915 in the Second Baralong Incident. At this stage in the war, U-boat commanders were under orders to scrupulously observe the rules of war (the "cruiser rules"). After spotting merchant targets, submarines surfaced nearby, boarded the ships, and searched for contraband. This prevented the sinking of neutral vessels, but exposed the submarines to great risk.
Prior to being sunk, a boarding party
Boarding (attack)
Boarding, in its simplest sense, refers to the insertion on to a ship's deck of individuals. However, when it is classified as an attack, in most contexts, it refers to the forcible insertion of personnel that are not members of the crew by another party without the consent of the captain or crew...
from U-41 went aboard 6651 gross ton
Gross Register Tonnage
Gross register tonnage a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated from the total permanently enclosed capacity of the vessel. The ship's net register tonnage is obtained by reducing the volume of non-revenue-earning spaces i.e...
merchantman
Merchant vessel
A merchant vessel is a ship that transports cargo or passengers. The closely related term commercial vessel is defined by the United States Coast Guard as any vessel engaged in commercial trade or that carries passengers for hire...
SS Urbino. After finding war material on board, the merchant crew were evacuated to lifeboats. (This was a violation of the cruiser rules, since lifeboats were not "a place of safety".) U-41 was in the process of sinking Urbino with gunfire when HMS Wyandra (in the guise of the American-flagged merchantman Baralong) arrived on the scene, flying an American flag. When U-41 approached, Wyandra, fired on and sank the U-boat without striking the American flag. This was a violation of the rules of war; while the use of a False Flag
False flag
False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
was allowed, it was required that a belligerent identify themselves before initiating hostilities.
The event generated widespread outrage in Germany, especially among Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
officers. The sinking was also commemorated in a propaganda medal designed by the German engraver Karl Goetz.