Unterseeboot C-41

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UC-41
Country	German Empire
Branch	Kaiserliche Marine
Shipyard	Vulcan, Hamburg
Ordered	Nov 20, 1915
Launched	September 13, 1916
Commissioned	October 11, 1916
Career
Patrols	7
Commanders	Kurt Bernis Hans Förste
Successes
18 ships sunk for a total of 18.233 tons
Fate
Sunk August 21, 1917. 27 dead.

Unterseeboot C-41 was a German coastal U-boat commissioned and deployed to operate off the coast of the British Isles and attack coastal shipping as part of the First Battle of the Atlantic.

In an nine month career, the UC-41 succeeded in sinking eighteen vessels totalling 18,233 tons. This total is believed to include the tiny naval fishing smacks Nelson and Ethel & Millie during an engagement on the August 15, 1917. The Skipper of Nelson, Thomas Crisp was killed and posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, whilst the crew of the Ethel & Millie were taken prisoner and presumably were still aboard when the submarine was sunk.

[edit] Fate

UC-41 was lost on the August 21, 1917 after suffering and 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. He wreck was recently rediscovered in 2003.