No, not iron coffins.
I strongly suspect I must have read something about U-175, but I can't think which book!
The U-boat archive describes what I read well:
http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-175INT.htm
Quote:
At 1252Z, "Spencer" [a destroyer] made an urgent attack on the
U-Boat, firing a pattern of 11 depth-charges set at 50 ft. and 100 ft. This
was considered a hurried and inaccurate attack which was not believed to
have caused any damage to the U-Boat, except possible shaking up.) In
point of fact, damage was very considerable. "U 175," submerging to a
safer depth, was caught at about 65 ft., and it appeared to prisoners that
the depth-charges exploded beneath them. The following damage was
sustained: Fracture of the air trunking. Fracture to pressure hull between
forward torpedo tubes causing water entry. Bilge pumps put out of action.
Hydroplanes defective. Heads of Diesel engine holding down bolts snapped
off. The entire pressure hull strained so that watertight doors could not be
properly closed. Partial failure of lighting. Breaking of pressure, depth and
other gauges. The majority of the W/T equipment torn from its fastenings
and hanging loosely from its wiring. "U 175" now began to plunge downward
out of control, and some prisoners claimed that she had reached a depth of
below 900 ft [274.32m]. before trim was restored. Frantic efforts were
being made to repair the damage, and in the case of the air trunking this
was successful.
The leak forward was also found to be less serious than was at first
thought, and it was said that it was partially plugged.
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