Milk Cow/Supply Ship Questions

[Checkmate King 2]

I have some questions regarding u-boats/milkcow re-supply.

What was the “normal” procedure for u-boats needing to re-supply?

Did they have any idea where they could locate Milk Cows?

Or were they “piece mailed” information, for security reasons, and were instructed by Bdu to proceed to a certain location & meet a certain u-boat or supply ship?

What was the procedure for the u-boats, if they couldn’t find their milk cow or re-supply ships?

Was there a procedure in place that would pre-define a minimum time frame for searching for the milk cow and/or supply ship and if not successful, then they go to “plan B”?

Did milk cows ever get resupplied at sea or did they normally re-supply at a port?

Thanks

[Platapus]

If no one here answers your questions, you might want to try at uboat.net

They have some really smart Uboat people who can get you that answer if anyone can.

[mookiemookie]

From what I've read, the U-boats were well aware of the position of the milk cows. Actually, this is what got the milk cows sunk - Allied intercepts of the messages sent back and forth coordinating rendezvous with the front boats and the milk cows.

They were mainly used for fuel replenishment. They carried limited torpedo stocks, so reloading a full load of torpedoes was out of the question. The time needed to transfer even one torpedo from the milk cow to the u-boat (using life vests and inflatable rafts as floats) put both ships in danger of Allied air attack.

When the milk cows needed replenishment themselves, they typically travelled back to port....I don't believe they were resupplied at sea.

[Checkmate King 2]

Thanks for the info

[Platapus]

Is there a reference that describes transferring torpedoes?

Everything I have been able to find discusses fuel, food (refrigerated and freshly baked) and some replaceable supplies but not torpedo transfers.

How many torpedoes did the Type XIV carry? Did it carry any?