Here is the result of the huge task undertaken by CHUCK MYLES (1068-1989); he has compiled a listing of all the U-Boat refueling operations that took place during World War II. Every time a U-Boat took on fuel in any foreign port, on the high seas, from another U-Boat, from some ship or any way at all that a U-Boat took on fuel, CHUCK put it on this list.

U-105 replenished on 7 April, 1941 from NORDMARK and again on 3 May, 1941 as did U-106 on the same date.

Over 16 and 17 April, 1941, the Italian submarines ARCHIMEDE, GUGLIEMOTTI and GALILEO FERRARIS received supplies in the South Atlantic from NORDMARK as they were on their way from Massawa to Bordeaux.

U-107 was on station in the Central and South Atlantic from the end of March 1941 to 3/4 July, 1941 coming from and then returning to France. U-107 patrolled between the Azores and Cape Verde islands then to south of Freetown where she met NORDMARK on 3 May for replenishment and then on 10 May 1941. U-107 took on additional stores fron EGERLAND off Freetown before heading north to the Cape Verde island area and finally on to France.

U-38 replenished from EGERLAND on 17 May, 194 1. She was on station in the South and Central Atlantic from 9 April, 1941 to 25 June, 1941 coming from and then returning to France. She patrolled the west coast of Africa between the Azores and Cape Verde Islands, then off Freetown, to the south of Freetown where she met EGERLAND on 17 May, 1941 then patrolled up the African coast again on her return to France.

U-103 was on station in the Central and South Atlantic from 3 April, 1941 to 12/13 July, 1941 coming from and returning to France. She patrolled the west coast of Africa between the Azores & Cape Verde Islands then off Freetown, south of Freetown where she refueled from EGERLAND on 17 May, 1941. U-103 then returned to patrol off Freetown, then up the African coast and refueled again at Las Palmas (Canary Islands) over 4/5 July, 1941 and returned to base.

(HARRY's NOTE - Long-term Members will remember that we published an Intelligence report some years ago that stated that several Standard Oil (NJ) tankers, under Panamanian flag, were making the run from their Lago refinery on the Caribbean island of Aruba to the Canary Islands where they transferred fuel to German supply ships.

And, we reported an article that ran in LIFE Magazine in late 1939 or early 1940, that stated a Royal Navy cruiser intercepted the tanker SS GDYNIA ESSO and found her to be under German Naval Command; they said NAZI command; and that they siezed an ENIGMA machine from the ship. Makes one wonder who was fighting with whom, doesn't it?)

U-106 again replenished stores from EGERLAND on 17 May, 1941.

U-111 replenished on 25 May, 1941 from the tanker BELCHEN in the Davis Straits, 120 miles southwest of Cape Farewell. She was on station 5 May, 1941 from her home port in Germany until 7 July, 1941 when she returned to France. She joined West Group southeastward, then south of Greenland to intercept Convoy HX. 126. Her patrol line was south of Greenland, she refueled as stated, along with U-557 on 2 June, 194 1) then patrol line south of Greenland 600 miles eastward, then southeast of Newfoundland where the group dispersed loosely over a large area from south of Greenland as far as mid-Adantic where some engaaged Convoy OS.7, southwest of Ireland and convoy operations in conjunction with air failed, then she patrolled loosely over a large area between Greenland and mid- Atlantic and finally returned to France.

Note: U-93 was refueling from BELCHEN on 3 June, 1941 when the tanker was sunk by a British destroyer. This ended the intended replenishment of all the western U-Boat group. U-93 picked up 50 survivors of the tanker & returned to base.

UA replenished from EGERLAND on 28 May, 1941. On station in the Central and South Atlantic on 26 May, 1941 on the west coastAfrica, coming from her French base. She took on fuel in the refueling aoff St. Paul Rocks, patrolled off Freetown then returned to the refuel a but refueling was not possible as the supply ship LOTHRINGEN been sunk so UA continued to patrol off Freetown, then up the Africoast on her return to France, departing her station 30 July, 1941.

U-557 replenished from BELCHEN on 2 June, 1941. On station from home port in Germany on 13 May, 1941 in the North Atlantic, formed patrol line south of Greenland, then a patrol line 600 miles eastward and southeastward of Newfoundland, during which time she refueled from BELCHEN in a position 120 miles southwest of Cape Farewell in the Davis Strait.

She returned to her former patrol line, which then dispersed loosely over a large area south of Greenland as far as mid-Atlantic, took part in a failed convoy operation in conjunction with aircraft, and returned to France, leaving station 10/11 July, 1941.

More of this great history in KTB #105.