and another was lost on 23 January. On 14 February the group sustained a loss to 89 Squadron. On 22 February 1943 the group lost its commanding officer Major Richard Meyer killed when he was shot down by Second Lieutenant Cochran from the US 96th Fighter Squadron. On night operations on 26/27 February the group lost another Ju 88 to 89 Squadron Beaufighters. A third was lost near Algiers on 3 March. On 31 March it lost two Ju 88s—the worst daily loss suffered over Africa. Before the group was withdrawn, it suffered two more losses; the last on 28 April. III./KG 76 began attacking Allied shipping in the Eastern Mediterranean with 15 Ju 88s recorded on strength on 1 December. It struck at targets east of RAF Castel Benito on 19 December 1942. On 18 January 1943 it was forced to abandon its airfield at Tympakion (Crete) to Athens because of Allied air attacks. Until March it refitted and rested at Wiener Neustadt. It transferred to Sicily on 19 March and carried out night raids against Sfax in Tunisia on 27/28 March. Bombing raids against El Guettar in central Tunisia on 1 April, and Djaidoud-Metovia on 7 April. On 15 and 16 April it attacked Bŏne and Malta. Philippeville and Tripoli were the targets of bombing operations on 20 April and 3 May. On 16/17 May 1943 the group withdrew to Foggia in Italy. On 16–17 May the group took part in raids on Allied airfields in Corsica. At Poretta airfield, it destroyed 25 Spitfires. An attack on Alesan airfield destroyed 30 B-25s and damaged another 45. The unit was withdrawn on 16 July 1943 to Laon-Athies in France. During these operations it lost two Gruppenkommandeur—Hauptmann Heinrich Schweitkhardt was posted missing in action on 9 January 1943 and Hauptmann Anton Stadler on 29 April 1943. Schweitkhardt reported his engine trouble after combat with No. 253 Squadron RAF 70 miles west of Zante Island at 13:08. He continued to broadcast until 13:54 until contact ceased. He never returned. On 9 April a Ju 88 was lost to the British ace Peter Wykeham. It lost another two Ju 88s which were covering a convoy on 19 April 15 miles northwest of Pantellaria. No. 229 Squadron RAF Spitfires with long-range tanks were likely their attackers. 12 Ju 88s were lost by the group over Africa. Italian front I./KG 76 returned to southern