SM U-44
Introduction War memorial in Ruhstorf an der Rott (Bavaria) mentioning local man Hermann Falk, who was killed in action when ''U-44'' was sunk'''SM ''U-44''''' was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. Launched in 1915, she was sunk in August 1917.
Operations SM ''U-44'', under the command of Paul Wagenführ, was completed at Danzig about June or July 1915.She later joined the Kiel School, where she remained until 20 August 1915 undergoing trials. She then proceeded to the North Sea and was attached to the 3rd Half Flotilla. *25 – 26 September 1915.On Bight patrol. *5–10 October, 16–21 October, and 26–29 October 1915.Bight patrols. *14–25 December 1915.North Sea cruise. *17–28 January 1916.North Sea cruise to NE coast of England. *18 March – 17 April 1916.Northabout to Channel approach, was possibly submarine which torpedoed HMS ''Begonia''. Sank 5 S.S., 2 sailing vessels. *17 May – 3 June 1916.North Sea patrol (Battle of Jutland). *16–21 July 1916.North Sea patrol, Returned with defect. *26 July – 5 August 1916.North Sea. Returned owing to bad weather. *16–21 August 1916.North Sea patrol. *17–29 September 1916.Cruise to Fair Island Channel, sank 2 S.S., 1 armed yacht, 1 armed trawler. *1–25 January 1917.Northabout to SW of Ireland. Returned with fracture of propeller shaft. Sank 1 S.S., 3 prizes (trawlers). *19 February 1917.Left for the North, but returned next day with defect. *24 February – 24 March 1917.Northabout to Atlantic. Sank 3 sailing vessels, and 5 S.S.*23 April - ? 7 May 1917.Northabout ? to west of Ireland. Sank 1 sailing vessel ? 1 S.S.On 12 August 1917, ''U-44'' was rammed and sunk in the North Sea south of Norway () by the Royal Navy destroyer  with the loss of all 44 of her crew.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageFate25 March 1916''Ottomar''327Sunk27 March 1916''Manchester Engineer''4,302Sunk29 March 1916HMS ''Begonia''1,250Damaged30 March 1916''Bell''3,765Sunk31 March 1916''Achilles''7,043Sunk31 March 1916''Goldmouth''7,446Sunk31 March 1916''Hans Gude''1,110Sunk1 April 1916''Ashburton''4,445Sunk27 September 1916''Thurso''1,244Sunk16 January 1917''Baron Sempill''1,607Sunk23 January 1917''Agnes''125Captured as prize23 January 1917''George E. Benson''155Captured as prize23 January 1917''Vera''150Captured as prize6 March 1917''Caldergrove''4,327Sunk6 March 1917''Fenay Lodge''3,223Sunk7 March 1917''Ohio''8,719Sunk8 March 1917''Dunbarmoor''3,651Sunk8 March 1917''Silas''750Sunk10 March 1917''Aracataca''4,154Damaged14 March 1917''Bray Head''3,077Sunk16 March 1917''Narragansett''9,196Sunk28 April 1917''Vacuum''2,551Sunk2 May 1917''Natuna''1,121Sunk21 July 1917HMT ''Robert Smith''211Sunk24 July 1917''Thorsdal''2,200Sunk27 July 1917''John Hays Hammond''132Sunk5 August 1917HMS ''Bracondale''2,095Sunk
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