II./ZG 26 were under the command of Luftgau XI at Hannover. Luftgau VI, headquartered at Werl, controlled III./ZG 26. On 1 September 1939 the German Wehrmacht began the Invasion of Poland beginning World War II in Europe. ZG 26, based in northern and western Germany served in the air defence role during the Phoney War phases of the war. The wing defended the German North Sea coast from incursions by RAF Bomber Command. On 29 September 1939, a No. 144 Squadron RAF Handley-Page Hampden was shot down by Günther Specht. Four were claimed by ZG 26 pilots. The future German ace lost an eye on 3 December in combat with a No. 38 Squadron RAF Wellington. On 6 December ZG 26 incurred one of its first casualties when a Bf 110 from 2./ZG 26 collided with an Avro Anson from No. 209 Squadron RAF 70 miles north of Texel. I./ZG 26 transferred to Stab./ZG 26 from the control of JG 1 on 11 December bring existing groups under the direct control of the command, Stab, staffel (Squadron). On 14 December 1939, 12 Vickers Wellington bombers on an anti-shipping patrol were spotted. Four Bf 110s from 2./ZG 26 at Jever, with support from II./JG 77 Messerschmitt Bf 109s, intercepted and shot down five British bombers. Air Officer Commanding No. 3 Group RAF, Jackie Baldwin, likened the mission to the charge of the light brigade. Elements of the wing fought at the Battle of the Heligoland Bight, the first named air battle of the war. ZG 26 was unable to intercept. A flight of Bf 110s from ZG 76, led by Hauptmann Wolfgang Falck, claimed four bombers. Falck's fighter was hit and badly damaged. The battle ended daylight sorties by Bomber Command over Germany until late 1944. The defeat forced the British to revise their policy to night bombing, and has been regarded as among the most influential air engagements of the war. Bomber Command's shift to night operations led to calls for the expansion of the night fighter force. ZG 26 donated 10 staffel to the formation of IV(Nacht)/JG 2 in December 1939. On 15 December 1939, I./ZG 26 was based at Lippstadt, under the command of Fliegerkorps I. III./ZG 26 was subordinated to Luftgau XI and Bönninghardt. Stab. and II./ZG 26 remained at Dortmund and Werl respectively under the command of Fliegerkorps IV. Thereafter, the assignment of Stab./ZG 26 is