The Baralong Incidents involved the Royal Navy ship, Baralong, and U-27 and U-41. They occurred in August and September of 1915.
Lieutenant-Commander Godfrey Herbert
Born: February 28.1884
Died: August 8, 1961
Allegiance: United Kingdom
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Captain
Battles/Wars: WWI
WWII
The first Baralong Incident happened in August of 1915. Baralong sank U-27, which was going to sink a nearby merchant ship, the Nicosian. Nicosian's crew were aboard life boats because they were carrying munitions and 250 American mules earmarked for the British Army in France. Commander Kapitänleutant Bernard Wegener, of U-27, had stopped the British steamer Nicosian in accordance with the rules laid down by the London Declaration. Before they could sink the Nicosian with the deck gun, the Royal Navy ship, Baralong, sank their U boat (submarine). Twelve men on the submarine escaped. Before those twelve survivors could try to board the Nicosian, Lieutenant-Commander Godfrey Herbert ordered his men to execute those survivors. Lieutenant Herbert was afraid the survivors form U-27 would scuttle the merchant ship after they boarded. The German memorandum demanded the captain and crew of Baralong be tried for the murder of those twelve survivors. It was described as a "cowardly murder" and "full of insolence and arrogance."
Lieutenant-Commander A. Wilmot-Smith did the same crime but sank U-41.
Born: February 28.1884
Died: August 8, 1961
Allegiance: United Kingdom
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Captain
Battles/Wars: WWI
WWII
The first Baralong Incident happened in August of 1915. Baralong sank U-27, which was going to sink a nearby merchant ship, the Nicosian. Nicosian's crew were aboard life boats because they were carrying munitions and 250 American mules earmarked for the British Army in France. Commander Kapitänleutant Bernard Wegener, of U-27, had stopped the British steamer Nicosian in accordance with the rules laid down by the London Declaration. Before they could sink the Nicosian with the deck gun, the Royal Navy ship, Baralong, sank their U boat (submarine). Twelve men on the submarine escaped. Before those twelve survivors could try to board the Nicosian, Lieutenant-Commander Godfrey Herbert ordered his men to execute those survivors. Lieutenant Herbert was afraid the survivors form U-27 would scuttle the merchant ship after they boarded. The German memorandum demanded the captain and crew of Baralong be tried for the murder of those twelve survivors. It was described as a "cowardly murder" and "full of insolence and arrogance."
Lieutenant-Commander A. Wilmot-Smith did the same crime but sank U-41.