# SM U-49

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 86,320 gross register tons (GRT). 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 British Transport, 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 46°17′N 14°42′W﻿ / ﻿46.283°N 14.700°W﻿ / 46.283; -14.700; 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 Transport's 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

| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| 28 September 1916 | Benguela | Sweden | 688 | Sunk |
| 28 September 1916 | Emanuel | Norway | 246 | Sunk |
| 29 September 1916 | Haarfagre | Norway | 566 | Captured as prize |
| 29 September 1916 | Nornen | Norway | 215 | Sunk |
| 1 November 1916 | Seatonia | United Kingdom | 3,533 | Sunk |
| 2 November 1916 | Caswell | United Kingdom | 245 | Sunk |
| 2 November 1916 | Harfat Castle | United Kingdom | 274 | Sunk |
| 2 November 1916 | Kyoto | United Kingdom | 282 | Sunk |
| 8 November 1916 | Columbian | United States | 8,580 | Sunk |
| 9 November 1916 | Balto | Norway | 3,538 | Sunk |
| 9 November 1916 | Fordalen | Norway | 2,835 | Sunk |
| 10 November 1916 | Camma | Norway | 794 | Sunk |
| 11 November 1916 | Barbara | Greece | 2,831 | Sunk |
| 11 November 1916 | Ragnar | Denmark | 2,123 | Sunk |
| 12 November 1916 | Lady Carrington | United Kingdom | 3,269 | Sunk |
| 12 November 1916 | Leda | Netherlands | 1,140 | Damaged |
| 12 November 1916 | Therese | Denmark | 1,333 | Sunk |
| 15 November 1916 | La Briantais | France | 255 | Sunk |
| 15 November 1916 | Lorca | United Kingdom | 4,129 | Sunk |
| 19 February 1917 | Sigrid | Russian Empire | 2,194 | Sunk |
| 27 February 1917 | Galgorm Castle | United Kingdom | 1,596 | Sunk |
| 27 February 1917 | Luigino B. | Kingdom of Italy | 1,971 | Sunk |
| 27 February 1917 | Tritonia | United Kingdom | 4,445 | Sunk |
| 3 March 1917 | Newstead | United Kingdom | 2,836 | Sunk |
| 3 March 1917 | Sagamore | United Kingdom | 5,197 | Sunk |
| 5 May 1917 | Snig | Norway | 2,115 | Sunk |
| 8 May 1917 | Petunia | United Kingdom | 1,749 | Sunk |
| 11 May 1917 | Barrister | United Kingdom | 3,679 | Sunk |
| 14 May 1917 | Carnmoney | United Kingdom | 1,299 | Sunk |
| 17 May 1917 | George Pyman | United Kingdom | 3,859 | Sunk |
| 1 July 1917 | Stalheim | Norway | 1,469 | Damaged |
| 3 July 1917 | Cimbria | Denmark | 234 | Sunk |
| 3 July 1917 | Mary Boyes | Denmark | 101 | Sunk |
| 3 July 1917 | Proefneming I | Netherlands | 112 | Sunk |
| 3 July 1917 | Thor | Netherlands | 105 | Sunk |
| 8 July 1917 | Obuasi | United Kingdom | 4,416 | Sunk |
| 10 July 1917 | King David | United Kingdom | 3,680 | Sunk |
| 12 July 1917 | Muirfield | United Kingdom | 3,086 | Sunk |
| 15 July 1917 | Dudhope | United Kingdom | 2,086 | Sunk |
| 16 July 1917 | Lamia L. | Kingdom of Italy | 2,220 | Sunk |
| 11 September 1917 | Vienna | United Kingdom | 4,170 | Sunk |