Karl-Heinz Greisert

In February 1942 the Kriegsmarine was ordered to move its capitol ships from Brest to German waters, to be in a position to intervene in a feared invasion of German occupied Norway.[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.[4] Operation Donnerkeil (Operation Thunderbolt), as the German air-cover plan was called, made use of Greisert's JG 2 for the middle portion of the channel transit. To keep up a continuous air coverage the group would ferry aircraft out over the force. As the fighters had limited range, the group moved up to the airfield at Calais-Marck for the operation. With limited aircraft and limited range, only 16 aircraft could be provided at a time. The covering fighter group was tasked with providing both a low and high level cover, with 8 aircraft at each level flying in two Schwarms of four. Units would fly out, provide cover for a period of time, be replaced and fly back to the airfield, get refueled and fly back out in a continuous rotation. 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.[9]

The day of the operation was blustery and rainy, obscuring visibility. The German vessels slipped Brest at 9:00 pm in the dark of the evening of 11 February. Daybreak found them steaming towards the Strait of Dover.[10] The ships were nearly through when they were finally spotted at 11:00 am.[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.[9] Unfortunately the attack came in just as the Germans were handing off responsibilities from JG 2 to JG 26, and aircraft from both jagdgeschwader were present as Esmonde approached the force. 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.[13] As no British fighter had the range to accompany the bombers much past 200 miles, the plan was to run diversionary raids to the north and south of the entry point to pull the German fighters away. 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. They were to fly at low level all the way to the target to avoid detection by German radar. 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. 97 Squadron.[14] On the day of the raid, Greisert and other elements of his Jagdschwader engaged Boston bombers and their escorts as they conducted a bombing raid over the harbor facilities at Cherbourg, shooting down one of their number.[15] The German fighters were returning to base just as the Lancaster force was passing near their airfield.[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.[17] Greisert snapped up his landing gear and veered off, leading his Gruppe in pursuit of the bombers.[15] The aircraft turned out to be a group of Lancaster bombers, a type unfamiliar to the Germans.[18]

Greisert was able to close and shoot down one of their number.[19][20] It was the last aerial victory for Greisert in the west. Three other Lancasters of 44 Squadron were shot down before JG 2's attacks were broken off.[21] Soon Greisert would be transferred to the east to take command of III Gruppe of JG 3. Greisert remained in charge of II Gruppe of JG 2 until 8 May 1942. He had accumulated 22 victories over French and British aircraft while serving in the Western Front.