Two months later on 28 November 1940 Jagdschwader 2 lost its commander, Major Helmut Wick, when he failed to return from a mission over the English Channel.

[3] In the spring of 1941 Luftwaffe strength in the west was decreased as units were moved to the east to support Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of Soviet Russia.

[8] The Luftwaffe's Adolf Galland was given responsibility to provide air cover for the Scharnhorst-class battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen during the Channel Dash of 12 February 1942.

Greisert and his Gruppe were tasked with providing air cover in this fashion from daybreak till 1:00 pm, when they were to be relieved by JG 26.

[11] They had just cleared the straits with JG 2's period of responsibility coming to an end when the German warships came under air attack.

6 torpedo carrying Fairey Swordfish of 825 Squadron under the command of Eugene Esmonde approached at low level.

The Swordfish had set off to the target alone, but by good fortune were spotted en route by 72 Squadron commanding officer Brian Kingcome, who attempted to cover them on their way in with his 10 Spitfires.

Kingcome's escorting Spitfires were soon heavily engaged by German fighters, allowing the low cover aircraft of JG 2 to attack the Swordfish unimpeded.

Greisert, flying in the low cover group, closed to attack as the force was some 10 kilometers north of Gravelines, and was credited with two Fairey Swordfish shot down.

[12] On 17 April 1942 Bomber Command chanced a daylight raid to Augsburg in southern Germany, where they were to bomb the MAN U-boat engine plant.

With German air units spread thinly along the coast, it was thought once the bombers got past these they would stand a good chance to reach Augsburg.

[citation needed] The force would use the newly arrived Lancaster bomber, 12 of which were tasked with this mission, 6 from 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron and 6 from No.

[16] As the German aviators approached their air base at Beaumont-le-Roger they caught sight of the British bombers flying at high speed and very low level a short distance away.

On 18 May 1942, Greisert was promoted to Major and appointed commanding officer of III Gruppe of JG 3, based on the Eastern Front.

The Jagdschwarder was operating in the Donetz river valley in support of the German drive towards the Caucus oil fields and Stalingrad during Case Blue.

Greisert escaped from his aircraft but being at very low altitude his parachute failed to open fully before he struck the ground, and he was killed.