U-Boat Refueling

WWII Endeavors

by Chuck Miles (1068-1989)


Thanks to CHUCK MILES (1068-1989) for this huge task. Every time a boat took on fuel in any port, on the high seas from another U-Boat or from some other ship or any way at all - CHUCK put it on this list.

Previous Refueling Info [KTB 104]
Previous Refueling Info [KTB 105]

U-564 replenished from the German tanker THALIA at Cadiz 12/14 October, 1941. On station in the North Atlantic from her French base (U-564 was attached to the 1st U-Boot-Flotille at Brest) 16 September 1941. She patrolled in the Eastern Atlantic, then mid-Atlantic and back to the Eastern-Atlantic where she met Convoy OG-75, to the west and south-west of Ireland, refueled as stated west of Gibraltar where she met Convoy HG-75 west of Spain, back through the Eastern Atlantic to her base. She went off station 1 November, 1941.

U-77 refueled from the supply ship BESSEL in Vigo, Spain on 8 November 1941. On station 11 October 1941 in the Eastern Atlantic from her base base (U-77 was attached to the 7th U-Boot-Flotille at St Nazaire). 600 miles west of North Channel she met Convoy SC-48, then was part of a patrol line in the mid-Atlantic 450 miles SE of Greenland. She met an ON Convoy (number unknown) 500 miles west of Ireland, lost the convoy and continued to search for it with air support, refueled as shown here, then patrolled in the Eastern Atlantic until her return to base where she went off station 12 November, 1941.

U-68 replenished from SCHIFF 16, the famous raider ATLANTIS, on 13 November, 1941 in the area of St. Helena. This was her second refueling of this patrol.

U-124, escorting the ship PYTHON from France, refueled from her on 20 November 1941 to the SW of the Cape Verde Islands. She patrolled off the west coast of Africa, between the Azores and the Cape Verde islands where she refueled as stated here, then went south of Freetown (Sierre Leone) to assist the survivors of the survivors of ATLANTIS and PYTHON, and returned to her base (U-124 was attached to the 2nd U-Boat-Flotille at Lorient) and she was off station 31 December 1941.

U-129, escorting the ship PYTHON from France, refueled from her on 20 November 1941 to the SW of the Cape Verde Islands. She was on station in the Central and South Atlantic from her French base (U-129 was with the 2nd U-Boot-Flotille in Lorient). She refueled as stated here in the refueling area of the St. Pauls Rocks, then went south of Freetown to operate. She assisted with the survivors of ATLANTIS and PYTHON and returned to France and she was off station 30 December, 1941.

U-126 was refueling from SCHIFF 16, the raider ATLANTIS, on 22 November 1941 when they were surprised by the ROYAL NAVY heavy cruiser HMS DEVONSHIRE, and ATLANTIS is scuttled by her own crew, thus beginning one of the all-time great sea rescue efforts in history.

U-557 refueling in Cadiz Harbor (Spain) over 27/28 November 1941 on her way into the Mediterranean. She went into the Med. shortly afterwards.

U-562 refueled in Cadiz Harbor (Spain) over 27/28 November 1941 on her way into the Mediterranean. She was on station 20 November 1941 and went into the Med. on 29 November, 1941.

U-652 refueled from the German tanker THALIA in Cadiz Harbor (Spain) on 27 November 1941 on her way into the Mediterranean. She was on station to the Eastern Atlantic on 1 November 1941 from her French base (U-652 was attached to the 3rd U-Boot-Flotille at La Rochelle). She patrolled NW of the Azores and along with U-96, was return escort for SCHIFF 45 (KOMET) into the Bay of Biscay. After refueling as stated here, U-652 went into the Mediterranean on 28/29 November 1941.

U-96 refueled from the German supply tanker BESSEL in Vigo, Spain over 27/28 November 1941 on her way into the Mediterranean. She was on station on 29 October 1941 from her French base (U-96 was attached to the 7th U-Boot-Flotille at St. Nazaire), engaged Convoy OS-10 some 500 miles west of Ireland, joined unsuccessfully in the search for another convoy NE of the Azores and in the mid-Atlantic. She joined U-652 as a return escort for SCHIFF 45 (KOMET) to the Bay of Biscay, then received orders to break into the Mediterranean. She refueled as stated here and immediately set out for Gibraltar, where she tried to break through over 30 November/1 December but was too badly damaged to succeed and she returned to France on 6 December 1941.

UA (and U-68) was refueling from PYTHON when they were surprised by the ROYAL NAVY heavy cruiser HMS DORSETSHIRE on 1 December 1941, and PYTHON is lost. The crew of ATLANTIS had been rescued and put aboard PYTHON, now the U-Boats began the rescue of all these seamen from the South Atlantic to France. UA was on station 23 October 1941 in the Central and South Atlantic from her French base (UA was attached to the 7th U- Boot-Flotille based at St. Nazaire), she patrolled up the west coast of Africa from Azores to the Cape Verde Islands and entered the refueling area off St. Pauls Rocks, south of Freetown and refueled as shown here. She returned to France with survivors of PYTHON and ATLANTIS, and was off station 27 December 1941.

U-432 took on fuel while outward escort for DOGGERBANK on 2/3 February 1942. The refueling source is not known, but probably was DOGGERBANK. She departed her French base on 21 January 1942 (U-432 was attached to the 3rd U-Boot-Flotille based at La Rochelle) as escort of DOGGERBANK until 4 February 1942. She then went to the area of Nova Scotia, then New York and finally, Cape Hatteras before she went off station on 3 March 1942 for her return to base, where she arrived 16 March 1942.

U-130 refueled U-109 over 28/29 January 1942 in the Western Atlantic, north of Bermuda; she took on 19 cubic meters in 70 minutes. U-130 departed her French base on 27 December 1941 (U-130 was attached to the 2nd U-Boot-Flotille based at Lorient) as part of Aktion PAUKENSCHLAG (Operation DRUMBEAT) and sailed to her area, which was the St. Lawrence estuary, then off New York and out to Bermuda where she took on fuel as shown here. She returned to France 25 February 1942.

U-109 refueled a second time over 5/6 February 1942, but the source is not known.

U-654 took on fuel from an unknown source in the Newfoundland area on 9 February 1942 for her return trip. She sailed from France on 3 January 1942 bound for the areas of Newfoundland and south of Nova Scotia. She contacted Convoy ONS-61, refueled as shown here, and returned to base, which she reached 19 February 1942.


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© Copyright 1994 by Harry Cooper, Sharkhunters International, Inc.
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