I've had a tentative scratch around the web after receiving a hint about a story, but have failed to come up with anything referable - the old hassle of common words not doing much to narrow the search down to reasonable numbers.

The story relates to the supply of food used to sustain U-Boat crews during World War I.  The note tells me that the U-Boats visited remote islands such as North Rona and St Kilda to shoot sheep for supplies. This is said to be confirmed by photographs which show U-Boats with sheep hanging on deck.  Glas Uig on Islay was given special mention, as the sheltered bay there is described as providing ideal conditions for a U-Boat to hide while the crew was off collecting supplies.

I wouldn't doubt this Apollo. Royal Navy boats did this as well although I'm sure they would have paid... wouldn't they?  The RN ships also frequently dropped into remote farms up the western coast and bought butter and other farm produce.

Many years whilst working on Islay I read an article in the Scot magazine (think that is the name?) about a German tourist visiting Islay.  He described a bay to locals to see if they could identify it, he said his U-Boat had hidden there for a couple of days whilst they did repairs.  I presume this would be WWI because anywhere near the coast in WWII would be much more dangerous with aircraft patrolling, radar cover and generally better communications but can't remember now.

I also have a vague recollection of someone on the Gigha ferry telling a story about Cara Island, can't remember if a U-Boat sheltered there or whether there was just one of the coast watchers based there.

There are also stories of fishing boats being stopped by U-Boats and supplies of fresh fish got from them though this was probably under duress.

MB