Squadron from this attack force, taking his total to 24 aerial victory claims. For this, he was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 21 August 1941 and promoted to Hauptmann (captain). Squadron leader and death Along with his promotion, Schmid was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 8. Staffel of JG 26, replacing Oberleutnant Hans-Jürgen Westphal who had been injured. 8. Staffel was subordinated to III. Gruppe and at the time commanded by Hauptmann Gerhard Schöpfel and based at Ligescourt. His scoring spree continued, as he scored 11 victories in September and a Spitfire on 3 October 1941. On 6 November 1941, as the Battle of Britain was petering out, he led the whole III. Gruppe into combat against a dozen Spitfires. In this encounter, he claimed a Spitfire shot down. His opponent may have been Sergeant B.M. Geissman of No. 452 Squadron RAAF. Schmid was circling low over the crash site when the wing of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 7211—factory number) hit the water in a position northwest of Calais. The aircraft immediately disintegrated and sank, taking Schmid with it. Following his death, he was replaced by Oberleutnant Karl Borris as commander of 8. Staffel. Posthumously, he was promoted to Major (major). Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to Obermaier, Schmid was credited with 45 victories in 137 missions, all over the Western Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces: Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 40 aerial victory claims, plus five further unconfirmed claims, all of which were claimed on the Western Front. Awards Iron Cross (1939) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 August 1941 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" Notes References Citations Bibliography External links Johann Schmid @ Aces of the Luftwaffe Johann Schmid @ Luftwaffe39-45.historia Retrieved 10 December 2011 Retrieved 29 December 2012 Retrieved 7 January 2013 Retrieved 7 January 2013 1911 births 1941 deaths German World War II pilots Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War Condor Legion personnel People from Lower Austria Austrian military personnel Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Aviators killed by being shot down People lost at sea