Re sabotage, read Steel Boat, Iron Hearts by Hans Goebeler (with a grain of salt though). The author devoted a whole chapter to sabotage.
Here's what sabotage allegedly occurred on U-505 during just ONE patrol:
-leaky starboard propeller shaft caused by faulty shaft seal (reduced max depth to 40m)
-FuMB Metox electrical short circuit
-GHG underwater listening device out of action
-radio direction finder antenna could not be deployed
-relief valve seals faulty
-emergency valve seals faulty
-diving tank seals faulty
-battery cell seals faulty
-fuel bunker seals faulty causing oil slick which had pinpointed their position from when they left port to when they returned.
The faulty seals were caused by someone pouring battery acid on them.
This patrol was by no means an exceptional example either, I might add.
Other examples of sabotage (some effected on U-505 over the next three patrols and others experienced by other boats):
-sugar in the lube oils
-dead dog in the water tank
-botulism
-drilled pencil hole in fuel bunkers (this little hole plus some other sabotage caused U-505 to return to port at least 4 patrols in a row as it wasn't picked up by the workers)
-poor welding causing stress cracks
etc etc
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