For the designers of early submarines, allowing crews to answer the call of nature in a safe and comfortable way had been a bit of a challenge. When submerged for days at time the old sea-dog remedy of 'going over the side' was somewhat impossible - an efficient catch and collect system was therefore needed.
The traditional method of the time was carry a number of septic tanks on board to collect and store crew waste, but these added weight and took up valuable space - so those clever German maritime engineers got busy working on a new system.
What they came up with was a high pressure flushing system where sailor sewage was taken from the toilet bowl through a series of chambers to an airlock where, with the help of some compressed air, it was dumped directly into the sea.
It was clever, it was high-tech, it saved a lot of weight, but in true German style it was horribly over-engineered and thus, terribly complicated to use - as Kapitänleutnant Karl-Adolf Schlitt found out aboard U-1206.
Schlitt had taken command of U-1206 in the summer of 1944 and on 14th April 1945, he and his crew were just nine days into their maiden active patrol when a quick trip to the loo turned out to be very problematic for all on board.
What exactly happened is up for debate.
The official report submitted by Schlitt after the event place the Kapitänleutnant in the engine room at the time of the 'accident' which led to the toilet flooding but other reports suggest it was Schlitt himself that, after a quick visit to the toilet, decided to try and operate the flushing system himself without consulting a trained crew member. When he had failed to work it properly he called in the on board toilet guru who promptly opened the wrong valve. In an instant, they were showered in a lovely mixture of high pressured water and waste which quickly began to flood the compartment.
Pandemonium ensued and by the time the correct valves had been shut off, water was draining through the toilet compartment and into the battery room directly below. When the water came into contact with the battery acid it began to form highly toxic chlorine gas.
Schlitt had no choice but to order his sub to the surface to dump out the gas. But, being just a few miles off the Scottish coast, as soon as the submarine surfaced she was spotted nearby RAF patrols who quickly swooped in and started to bomb the stricken U-boat, causing significant damage.
Unable to escape, Schlitt was forced to burn his orders and scuttle his submarine. A total of 4 men from Schlitt's crew were killed, while 46 men - including Schlitt himself - were taken prisoner by the British.
Kapitänleutnant Schlitt died on 7th April, 2009 aged 90.
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