[11] Polish targets in the Toruń and Bydgoszcz regions were attacked again on 4 September and the Gruppe moved to Ziethen, Brandenburg later in the day.

[14] The reorientation to mine-laying occurred because Hitler refused Hermann Göring's request to attack ports in the British Isles until he had ordered Fall Gelb.

It was ordered to support the drive into the Loire Valley by attacking tank concentrations and rail targets along the line of the advance.

[27] On 4 June I and II Gruppe moved to Amiens – Glisy Aerodrome, KG 1's target on the opening day of the offensive.

The British refusal to surrender or come to terms with Germany, precipitated Adolf Hitler's order for Operation Sealion, an amphibious invasion of Britain which was to take place after Luftwaffe had secured air superiority over the English Channel.

The German Air Staff, Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL), was ordered by Hermann Göring, to begin attacks on targets in southern England after the publication of his 30 June directive.

It carried out bombing operations on some industrial targets and airfields, in what the Germans referred to as the Kanalkampf phase of the Battle of Britain.

Gruppe bomber force-landed at Amiens to engine failure and at 6:30, 8 staffel lost a He 111 shot down and the crew killed in action, when it was intercepted by a Supermarine Spitfires from No.

Staffel lost two bombers destroyed and another severely damaged when KG 1 attempted to bomb the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

152 Squadron RAF, engaged and shot down a III./KG 1 bomber flown by Gruppenkommandeur Major Willibald Fanelsa, who was killed with his crew.

[40] The following day, KG 1 was involved in the morning air battles and lost one bomber fifty percent damaged after action with No.

Staffel lost one bomber and two crew members killed and two wounded when an external bomb fell off during take-off and detonated.

The Bf 110s adopted a Lufbery circle and one staffel of bombers jettisoned their bombs over Purley and Epsom, and turned back.

[citation needed] All three Gruppen of KG 1 were involved in bombing London on 1/2 November 1940 and carried out their assignment as the lead bomber formation that night (20:00–20:50).

On 14/15 November KG 1 flew in full strength in a highly effective attack on Coventry, codenamed Operation Mondscheinsonate (Moonlight Sonata).

KG 1 continued to support the bombing operations and flew in the Hull Blitz for the first time on 18/19 March while I./KG 1 targeted Harwell.

Over the next three days, as the battle raged, the medium bomber force was asked to provide close air support because Luftflotte 1 lacked such aircraft.

[81] KG 1 was moved to Mitau, a forward base in the Daugavpils–Riga area, to support the 4th Panzer Army's breakout from the Daugavpils bridgehead.

In September attacks on naval traffic on Lake Ladoga and in the Gulf of Finland became the focus of KG 1's operations.

Both groups fought against Soviet counteroffensives in the Lake Ilmen area until the end of December, and the ultimate failure of Barbarossa.

[90] The wing commenced Operation Eisstoss, against Kronshtadt port on 4 April and continued to support trapped German Army units in the Kholm Pocket.

[98] During repeated attacks between 4 and 22 June, all of the plant's 50 buildings, 9,000 metres of conveyors, 5,900 units of process equipment and 8,000 engines were destroyed or damaged.

The Soviet supply base at Molodechno, southeast of Vilnius, at Minsk, Velikiye Luki and Novosokolniki were repeatedly attacked by night bombers.

On 20 July Riesen led all 70 of KG 1's operational He 177 bombers on a daylight raid against Velikiye Luki rail station.

Riesen flew so high Soviet fighter aircraft could not intercept and the bombing caused mass devastation to the station and town for no loss.

At the Bug River, near Brest-Litovsk, the bombers destroyed the headquarters of the Soviet 80th Army Corps, killing the commander in the process.

On 28 July KG 1 carried out its last bombing mission of the war when it attacked concentrations of the 2nd Guards Tank Army.

In June and July it attacked Soviet tank formations and on one operation, under the command of Major Manfred von Cossart, nearly bombed Adolf Hitler's headquarters, the Wolf's Lair.

[16] KG 1 was rushed to Piacenza in June 1943 after the North African Campaign ended with the defeat of Axis forces.

From June to August to flew against the landing in Sicily and the invasion of Italy, mainly in anti-shipping roles which decimated the group.