If you’ve ever watched a World War
II German submarine movie, you know the U-boats had two toilets for crews of
about fifty men. And at the start of a voyage, one may have been unusable
because it was filled with provisions.
The German toilets didn’t have
holding tanks. Rather, they discharged directly into the sea. This could only
be done when the sub was at or near the surface. Otherwise, the pressure on the
hull would be too great for flushing. As you may imagine, collecting waste
until it could be flushed out added to the stench of diesel fumes and body
odor.
U-boat 1206 was a late model sub
that began its first patrol on April 6, 1945, one month before the end of the
war in Europe. It sailed from Kristiansand, Norway, to seek and destroy Allied
ships in the North Atlantic.
U-1206 featured new, improved
plumbing. Its high pressure toilets could be operated at greater depths. They
were extremely complicated, however, complete with instruction manuals, and
designated crewmembers were trained in their operation.
Eight days into the patrol, the sub
commander (supposedly) tried to use the toilet without the help of a toilet specialist. He
did something wrong, and then summoned a specialist. The trained man
misunderstood the situation and opened the outer valve while the inner valve
was open. Sea water flooded in.
Directly underneath the toilet were
the batteries. The seawater combined with battery acid, producing chlorine gas
that spread throughout the U-boat. The commander had no choice but to surface
and blow the gas.
The commander's official report is a little different:
In April 1945 U-1206 was in the North Sea targeting British Convoys. The diesel engines had broken down. We were therefore unable to charge batteries by snorkelling and they were depleted. In order to repair the diesel we dived to 70 metres about 8 to 10 miles off the British coast, un-molested by British forces. Diesel repairs were taking place, I was in the engine-room when a water leak occurred in the bows. As I later learned, a mechanic had tried to repair the forward toilet and water had leaked through the outboard valve. I would say - although I do not have any proof - that presumably the outboard vent gauge either gave false readings or was incorrectly installed. The Chief Engineer, who at the time of flooding was in the control room, then used all the compressed-air to surface the boat despite the strong influx of water. However the batteries were now full of seawater and chlorine gas fillled the boat. We were by then completely incapable of moving or diving. As by this time we could be discovered by British aircraft and guards, I let the boat sink. The crew then succeded in reaching the Scottish coast in rubber boats. Tragically, in an attempt to climb the dangerous steep cliffs, three crew members were drowned. Several men were taken onboard a British sloop.
In any case, U-1206 was eight to ten miles off
the coast of Peterhead, Scotland. The sub was quickly spotted and came under
attack. Extensive damage prevented the sub from diving, and the commander
ordered Abandon Ship and scuttled the submarine. One crewman was killed in the
attack and three others drowned; the other 46 were captured. In the eight days
of its patrol, U-1206 caused no harm to Allied ships. Instead, it has the
notoriety of being sunk because of its toilet.
Wonderful tidbit of information again! I'm always amazed at what you come up with. I can't imagine 50 men with 2 toilets. Wouldn't work for me.
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