SM UC-41

SM UC-41 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 13 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 October 1916 as SM UC-41.

In a nine-month career that encompassed seven patrols UC-41 was credited with sinking nineteen ships totaling 19,587 tons, either by torpedo or by mines laid. This total may include the tiny naval fishing smacks Nelson and Ethel & Millie during an engagement on 15 August 1917. The Skipper of Nelson, Thomas Crisp was killed and posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, while the crew of the Ethel & Millie were taken prisoner and presumably were still aboard when the submarine was sunk.

UC-41 was lost on 21 August 1917 after suffering an unexplained internal explosion of one of her mines which forced her to suddenly rise to the surface in the Tay estuary, where she was spotted by British naval trawlers and depth charged, killing all 27 German sailors and possibly seven British prisoners of war as well. Her wreck was rediscovered in 2003.