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.

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

• Burrell, David (1992). Furness Withy 1891–1991. Kendal: World Ship Society. pp. 73–74. ISBN 0-905617-70-3.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
• Haws, Duncan (2000). Manchester Liners, Houlders, Prince and Rio Cape Lines. Merchant Fleets in Profile. Vol. 38. TCL Publications. ISBN 978-0946378395.
• Stevens, Edward F (1950). One hundred years of Houlders. London: Mendip Press for Houlder Brothers.

46°17′N 14°42′W / 46.283°N 14.700°W / 46.283; -14.700