of October and Schwäbisch Hall late in the month. The group also moved to Nidda southeast of Giessen with a possible stay at Gotha. From 6–24 April 1940 it flew training exercises over Rheims-Laon. The unit did not participate in Operation Weserübung but instead spent the spring training and resting in preparation for the western offensive in 1940. Battle of France Stab./KG 76 had one Do 17M (unserviceable) and all four serviceable Do 17Zs. I. Gruppe mustered 32 serviceable Dorniers from 36, while II. Gruppe had 34 from 25 operational. III./KG 76 had a slightly higher number with 26 from 35 Do 17s combat ready. KG 76 was assigned to the I. Fliegerkorps for Fall Gelb, the attack on France and the Low Countries. III./KG 76 moved to Bonn days after the offensive began. On 10 May 1940 the Battle of France began and KG 76 supported the offensive by attacking the airfield at Laon. Over Charleville-Mézières 7 staffel KG 76 met No. 87 Squadron RAF and Hawker Hurricanes Feldwebel Walter Reiske's aircraft crashed. The crew became prisoners of war and among the first of the wing's casualties. KG 76 bombed targets along the River Maas and in support of Army Group C along the Maginot Line. On 13 May it supported Hermann Hoth's Panzer Corps cross the Meuse at Houx and Dinant. KG 76 remained on counter-air operations and it attacked the Royal Air Force (RAF) airfield at Vitry on 18 May. 607 and 151 Squadron lost one Bristol Blenheim and 14 Hurricanes destroyed. On 17 May KG 76 bombed targets in Cambrai. On 19 May it began to support German forces in the Battle of Belgium, and struck targets in the Tournai area. II. Gruppe operated over the Flavion area on 15 May and relocated to Cologne in mid-May. On 16 May it attacked targets near Maubeuge and Charleroi in Belgium. On 17–18 May Cambrai was bombed and the group moved to Vogelsang near Aachen on 19 May. The Gruppe then proceeded to Escarmain north east of Cambrai. All three groups supported Army Group A's advance to the English Channel. 76 bombed ports at Ostend and Dunkirk from 25 May–1 June. At the beginning on Fall Rot, KG 76 has seen the strength of the wing decline after a month of air operations. On 10 May it had around 110 bombers and 89 percent serviceability. By mid-May the