[Gustav Schiebert]

Hi GoldenRivet.

As far as I know, resupply ships did not have surgeons, certainly not navy medical officers. As interned merchant ships there would be a few undeclared Navy personnel and skeleton crew which might include a (possibly civilian/merchant) ship's doctor. Better than nothing but perhaps not the man to treat a neck wound such as that.

When this sort of thing happened in the Atlantic, usually the best medical treatment would come from a 'milk-cow' boat which usually carried qualified military surgeons for exactly this situation. Peter Cremer, commanding U-333, was saved when despite several serious injuries he was transferred to U-459 and brought safely back to base.

Later in the war, aircraft began surprising watch crews on the bridge more effectively and bullet/shrapnel wounds became more common, and U-boats began sailing with navy doctors on board, although manpower was often short and this was the exception.

In answer to the question I wouldn't have thought that supply ships would be equipped for this emergency. But in the circumstances (I don't think Gibraltar had many milk-cow boats at hand, all in the mid-Atlantic?) that's probably the best option. I would imagine in wartime the attache or embassy staff might be able to arrange local treatment? That's just a guess though.