German submarine U-41 (1939)

The German submarine U-41 was a Type IXA U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She conducted three war patrols patrols during her short career, two as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla and one as part of the 2nd flotilla. U-41 also sank five enemy vessels for a total of ; captured two more for a total of and damaged one other of.

On 5 February 1940, U-41 was hit by depth charges from the British A class destroyer HMS Antelope (H36) after sinking two enemy merchant vessels and was sunk off the south coast of Ireland. All 49 of her crew members were lost with the boat.

Construction
U-41 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 21 November 1936 (as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles). She was laid down on 27 November 1937 by AG Weser, Bremen as 'werk' 946. She was launched on 28 January 1939 and commissioned on 22 April of that same year under the command of Kapitänleutnant Gustav-Adolf Mugler.

Like all Type IXA submarines, U-41 had two MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, that put out 4400 hp as well as two SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors; they produced 1000 hp and allowed her to travel at a maximum speed of 18.2 kn while surfaced and 7.7 kn submerged. She had a range of 19425 nmi at 10 kn while on the surface and 144 nmi at 4 kn while submerged. U-41 had six torpedo tubes, (four in the bow, two in the stern). She also carried a total of 22 x 533 mm torpedoes and had a 105 mm/45 deck gun that used 110 rounds. She was likely equipped with the standard 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. U-41 had a crew of forty-nine men; however she could hold up to fifty-six crew members at any given time. After being commissioned, U-41 was stationed in the German port city of Wilhelmshaven. This was to be her home for the rest of her short career.

Service record
During her service in the Kriegsmarine, U-41 sank five commercial ships for ; damaged one commercial vessel of and captured two ships totalling.

1st Patrol
U-41 left Wilhelmshaven on 19 August 1939, before World War II began. Her first patrol involved traveling as far south as Portugal after entering the North Sea and circumnavigating the British Isles. During this patrol, two ships were captured: the Finnish Vega, of 974 tons, and the 1,099-ton Suomen Poika. U-41 then returned to Wilhelmshaven, arriving on 17 September 1939.

2nd Patrol
U-41 left Wilhelmshaven with Mugler in command once again on 7 November 1939. On 12 November, both the 275 ton British vessel Cresswell and the 11,019 ton Norwegian ship Arne Kjøde were sunk by torpedoes. The 1,351-ton British merchant vessel Darino went to the bottom on the 19th. The last enemy vessel to be sunk by U-41 was the French vessel Les Barges II. She displaced a total of 296 tons and was sunk by a single torpedo on 21 November. The U-boat then returned to port on 7 December 1939.

3rd Patrol
U-41 left the port of Helgoland on 27 January 1940 with Mugler still in command. During her final patrol, one enemy ship was sunk and one was damaged; both of these attacks took place on 5 February. The first ship that was hit was the 8,096-ton Dutch vessel Ceronia. The Ceronia was damaged and the 9,874-ton British ship Beaverburn was sunk. Nevertheless U-41 did not return to her home port, she was sunk on the same day.

Fate
Following the attacks on the Dutch Ceronia and the British Beaverburn on 5 February 1940, U-41 was attacked by the British A class destroyer HMS Antelope (H36) with depth charges. She was hit and sunk off the south coast of Ireland. All 49 of her crew members were lost with the boat during the attack.