World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 28 February 1941,
Leutnant Galland was transferred from the
Ergänzungsstaffel, a supplementary training unit, of
Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) to 8.
Staffel (8th squadron). 8.
Staffel was a squadron of III.
Gruppe (3rd group) which at the time was commanded by
Staffelkapitän (squadron leader)
Oberleutnant Gustav Sprick while III.
Gruppe was headed by his brother Adolf. On 20 August, his brother was appointed
Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 26 and
Hauptmann Gerhard Schöpfel, who had led 9.
Staffel, succeeded him as
Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III.
Gruppe. Galland had joined 8.
Staffel at a time when III.
Gruppe was being reequipped with the
Messerschmitt Bf 109 F series at
Bonn-Hangelar. On 1 April, the
Gruppe was sent to France, at first based at
Saint-Brieuc airfield before on 1 June it was ordered to an airfield at
Ligescourt, north of
Abbeville. Sprick was
killed in action on 28 June, he was succeeded as commander of 8.
Staffel by
Oberleutnant Hans-Jürgen Westphal.
Channel Front On 6 July 1941, the
Royal Air Force (RAF) flew
"Circus" No. 35 and targeted Lille and the
Fives-Lille engineering company. In defense of this attack, Galland claimed his first aerial victory over a
Supermarine Spitfire fighter. This aerial victory was not confirmed, and he was not given credit for this claim. Westphal was wounded on 13 August and command of 8.
Staffel passed on to
Hauptmann Johann Schmid. Galland was credited with his first aerial victory on 4 September 1941 when he shot down a Spitfire at 17:30. The RAF flew "Circus" No. 93 that day, targeting the
Mazingarbe ammonia factory. His third claim, which again remained unconfirmed, was filed on 17 September. "Circus" No. 95 and 96 targeted the Mazingrabe power station and the Shell Oil plant at
Marquise with 24
Bristol Blenheim bombers and six
Handley Page Hampden bombers. In this encounter, Galland had claimed a Spitfire from
No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 19 October, III.
Gruppe moved to a makeshift airfield at
Coquelles, close to
Calais on the
English Channel. There, they began preparations for operating the then new
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-1. The
Gruppe was fully reequipped and operational with the Fw 190 in mid-November 1941. On 6 November, Schmid was killed in action and
Oberleutnant Karl Borris was chosen as his successor. A month later, his brother Adolf was appointed
General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters) on 5 December 1941. In consequence of Adolf's advance in command responsibility, Schöpfel succeeded him as
Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26 and
Hauptmann Josef Priller became the new
Gruppenkommandeur of III.
Gruppe. fighter similar to those flown by Galland. Galland claimed his second confirmed aerial victory during
Operation Donnerkeil. The objective of this operation was to give the German
battleships and and the
heavy cruiser fighter protection in the breakout from
Brest to Germany. The
Channel Dash operation (11–13 February 1942) by the
Kriegsmarine was codenamed Operation Cerberus by the Germans. In support of this, the Luftwaffe, formulated an
air superiority plan dubbed Operation Donnerkeil for the protection of the three German capital ships. Sources vary with respect to the number of aerial victories Galland was credited with during this operation. According to Caldwell, Galland was credited with a single
Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bomber from
825 Naval Air Squadron shot down at 13:45 on 12 February north of
Gravelines. While authors Mathews and Foreman list him with four Swordfish torpedo bombers shot down in the timeframe 13:45 to 13:50 in combat north of Gravelines. On 10 April, the RAF flew two "
Rodeos", providing a diversion for a "Ramrod" short range bomber attack missions targeting
Boulogne. JG 26 lost three aircraft, including two pilots killed in action, for six aerial victories claimed. Galland claimed a
No. 313 Squadron Spitfire shot down at 17:43. His next claim was filed on 24 April following combat in defense of "Circus" No. 132. That day, the RAF targeted oil installations at
Vlissingen and
Walcheren in the Netherlands. In this encounter, Galland shot down a Spitfire from
No. 122 Squadron northwest of
Ostend. The next day, the RAF sent six
Douglas A-20 Havoc "Boston" bombers on "Circus" No. 137 to Abbeville. At 16:40, Galland shot down a Spitfire protecting the bombers. Galland claimed a No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron Spitfire shot down at 17:57 on 26 April southeast of Calais. The RAF had sent "Circus" No. 138 to airfields in northern France. On 1 May, RAF Fighter Command sent four "Rodeos" and one "Circus" to France. III.
Gruppe, led by Priller, struck the
Kenley Wing near Calais. At 19:32, Galland shot down a Spitfire from either
No. 457,
No. 485 or
No. 602 Squadron. Two days later, Galland claimed another unconfirmed aerial victory. In defense of two "Rodeos", one "Ramrods" and one "Circus" to northern France, Galland claimed a
No. 174 or
No. 303 Squadron Spitfire destroyed at 16:00 near Calais. Fighter Command planned three "Circuses" on 1 June. III.
Gruppe was
scrambled at 13:20 and directed to Ostend. Priller led the attack from above and out of the sun. Within quick succession, three Spitfires were shot down from
No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron and one further from
No. 71 Squadron, an
Eagle Squadron. At 13:54 the German fighters were recalled. In this engagement, Galland was credited with one Spitfire destroyed at 13:46. On 29 June, "Circus" No. 195 attacked
Hazebrouck with 12 "Boston" bombers. Galland shot down one of the escorting Spitfires from
No. 64 or the No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron at 16:55. On 30 July, Galland claimed two unconfirmed aerial victories over Spitfires. That day, the RAF flew "Circus" No. 200, heading for the airfield at
Abbeville/Drucat Airfield. The attack was supported by several "Ramrod" attacks on the airfield at
Saint-Omer-
Wizernes and escorted by the
Hornchurch Wing. During the
Dieppe Raid on 19 August, on III.
Gruppes third patrol of the day, Galland and two other pilots took off from
Wevelgem airfield at 12:21. At 12:30, the flight intercepted low flying Spitfires and
North American P-51 Mustang fighters from the
Biggin Hill Wing. In this encounter, Galland claimed a Spitfire shot down at 12:43 in the vicinity of
Dieppe. According to Caldwell, Galland claimed another unconfirmed Spitfire destroyed on 27 August. This claim considered confirmed by the authors Mathews and Foreman; a Spitfire shot down at 15:06 east of
Dover. The authors Mathews and Foreman credit Galland with two aerial victories on 29 August. A first Spitfire shot down at 11:47 west of
Cap Gris-Nez followed by a second Spitfire three minutes later west-northwest of Cap Gris-Nez. These two claims are not listed by Caldwell.
Death On 31 October 1942, seventeen "Boston" bombers from
No. 88 Squadron and
No. 107 Squadron attacked the power stations in the vicinity of
Lille (Rysel) and
Béthune. Galland, with his
wingman Oberfeldwebel Johann Edmann, shot down one of the Bostons. The "Boston" was
Z2179 from No. 107 Squadron piloted by
Pilot Officer Henry Collings on a mission to
Pont-à-Vendin. Five hours later, Galland and Edmann participated on a fighter escort mission to a fighter-bomber raid on
Canterbury. At 18:15, intercepting Spitfires shot down Galland's Fw 190 A-4 (
Werknummer 2402—factory number) approximately west of Calais. Mathews and Foremann assume that the Spitfire responsible for his death was piloted by
Flight Lieutenant Johannes Jacobus le Roux from
No. 91 Squadron. According to Isby, Galland was shot down by
Flying Officer Jean Maridor also from No. 91 Squadron. In Caldwell's account, Galland had tried to aid
Leutnant Artur Beese from 1.
Staffel of JG 26, who had called for help over the radio. In the rescue attempt, Galland's Fw 190
stalled during a steep climb and was forced to dive away. At that instant, Galland was attacked from above by the Spitfire and was shot down. Edmann then attacked the Spitfire and shot it down. Posthumously, Galland was awarded the
Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe () on 7 December 1942. ==Summary of career==