SM U-41 (Germany)

SM U-41' was one of the 329 submarines serving in the 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 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.