▁by ▁a ▁Polish ▁aircraft ▁which ▁shot ▁out ▁his ▁star board ▁engine . ▁L ent ▁made ▁a ▁forced ▁landing ▁behind ▁German ▁lines . ▁He ▁fle w ▁five ▁more ▁miss ions ▁during ▁the ▁Polish ▁campaign , ▁destroy ing ▁one ▁anti - air craft ▁battery . ▁For ▁his ▁actions ▁in ▁the ▁Polish ▁campaign ▁L ent ▁was ▁awarded ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁ 2 nd ▁Class ▁() ▁of ▁World ▁War   II ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁I ./ Z G   7 6 ▁re located ▁to ▁the ▁Stuttgart ▁area ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁western ▁border ▁against ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁British , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁at ▁war ▁with ▁Germany ▁since ▁ 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁From ▁early ▁October ▁to ▁middle ▁December ▁I ./ Z G   7 6 ▁operated ▁from ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁air fields ▁in ▁the ▁Stuttgart ▁and ▁Ru hr ▁areas ▁before ▁re loc ating ▁north ▁to ▁J ever ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Hel ig ol and ▁B ight ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁month ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁( RA F ) ▁mostly ▁focused ▁its ▁bom ber ▁attacks ▁against ▁anti - sh ipping ▁operations ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁B ight . ▁R AF ▁bom bers ▁mounted ▁a ▁heavy ▁attack ▁against ▁sh ipping ▁off ▁Wilhelm sh aven ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁in ▁what ▁became ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as