SM U-49 was the seventh U-boat of the U-43 class. She was ordered on 4 August 1914 and was put into the III Flotilla 7 August 1916. In her career she sank 38 ships for a total of . None was a naval ship.
Kapitänleutnant Richard Hartmann commanded U-49 throughout her career until she was sunk on 11 September 1917 in action in the Bay of Biscay. While surfaced, U-49 attacked the merchant ship , which had sailed Brest, France bound for Archangel in Russia, laden with munitions and other explosives. After a gun battle lasting five hours, U-49 fired two torpedoes at British Transport. Both missed, and the merchantman then rammed and sank her at ; all hands were lost.
It was the first time in the war that a merchant ship had sunk a U-boat. In February 1918 British Transports Master, Captain AT Pope, was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, three of her officers were awarded the DSC, seven of her crewmen were awarded the DSM and three were mentioned in dispatches.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageTonnages are in gross register tonsFate28 September 1916Benguela688Sunk28 September 1916Emanuel246Sunk29 September 1916Haarfagre566Captured as prize29 September 1916Nornen215Sunk1 November 1916Seatonia3,533Sunk2 November 1916Caswell245Sunk2 November 1916Harfat Castle274Sunk2 November 1916Kyoto282Sunk8 November 1916Columbian8,580Sunk9 November 1916Balto3,538Sunk9 November 1916Fordalen2,835Sunk10 November 1916Camma794Sunk11 November 1916Barbara2,831Sunk11 November 1916Ragnar2,123Sunk12 November 1916Lady Carrington3,269Sunk12 November 1916Leda1,140Damaged12 November 1916Therese1,333Sunk15 November 1916La Briantais255Sunk15 November 1916Lorca4,129Sunk19 February 1917Sigrid2,194Sunk27 February 1917Galgorm Castle1,596Sunk27 February 1917Luigino B.1,971Sunk27 February 1917Tritonia4,445Sunk3 March 1917Newstead2,836Sunk3 March 19175,197Sunk5 May 1917Snig2,115Sunk8 May 1917Petunia1,749Sunk11 May 1917Barrister3,679Sunk14 May 1917Carnmoney1,299Sunk17 May 1917George Pyman3,859Sunk1 July 1917Stalheim1,469Damaged3 July 1917Cimbria234Sunk3 July 1917Mary Boyes101Sunk3 July 1917Proefneming I112Sunk3 July 1917Thor105Sunk8 July 1917Obuasi4,416Sunk10 July 1917King David3,680Sunk12 July 1917Muirfield3,086Sunk15 July 1917Dudhope2,086Sunk16 July 1917Lamia L.2,220Sunk11 September 1917Vienna4,170Sunk
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