Ellon in WW2 History | World War II Database

14 Apr 1945

United Kingdom

German submarine U-1206, built in 1944 at Schichau Yard in Danzig, was lost in the North Sea just off the coast of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom following an accident. At 70 feet below the surface, Kapitänleutnant Karl-Adolf Schlitt had decided to use the toilet without consulting a rating trained in its complicated operation. Something went wrong, and when the specialist arrived he misunderstood the situation and opened the wrong valve, which resulted in large quantities of seawater entering the boat. The water reached the batteries directly under the toilet and caused production of chlorine gas. As a consequence, the U-1206 was forced to surface immediately. However, when the submarine surfaced, she was discovered and bombed by British patrols. Schlitt ordered the crew to destroy secret equipment and papers, scuttle the submarine and abandon ship. Three men drowned in the heavy seas and 46 were taken prison by the British. The name "shitwreck" was coined shortly after the news reached the British. ww2dbase [Ellon, Scotland | HM]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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