On January 1st 1942, at just 29 years of age, Adolf Galland was given full command of the Luftwaffe’s Fighter Arm. Almost immediately Hitler gave his young General the onerous task of providing air cover for one of the most daring naval operations of World War II. Coded Operation Cerberus, the pride of the German Navy – the two battlecruisers ‘Gneisenau’ and ‘Scharnhorst’ and the cruiser ‘Prinz Eugen’ – were ordered to leave the French port of Brest and make a dash through the dangerous straits of the English Channel, to the relative safety of the Elbe estuary.
The battle fleet would pass within a few miles of the British coast, within easy striking distance of the RAF; secrecy, careful planning, ample air cover and the element of surprise would be the key components of the exercise. “Everything depends on the air umbrella with which you have to cover the naval units”, Hitler told Galland.
That a commander so young should be given such responsibility directly and personally by the Führer, speaks volumes for the esteem in which General Galland was held by the German High Command.
22 year old Spitfire pilot Bobby Oxspring spotted the fleet and – unaware of an imposition of radio silence – reported the German warships to his base at Hawkinge on the Kent coast. Possibly he was not believed as no action was taken. Adolf Galland knew that Oxspring had blown the gaff but decided not to report it. Galland’s gamble paid off: by not reacting to Oxspring’s warning he gained vital time for the Germans.
So successful was the air protection afforded by Galland’s pilots that the entire fleet made it through one of the narrowest, most difficult and heavily defended straits in the world. The Channel Dash is remembered today as one of the most remarkable air-sea adventures of World War II and was described by Galland as one of the most important and successful operations of his career.
Seen in Robert’s painting are Messerschmitt Me109s of JG-2 as they fly low escort above the mighty German Warships. In company with a flotilla of escort vessels, the fleet is led by the ‘Scharnhorst’ followed by the ‘Gneisenau’ with the ‘ Prinz Eugen’ steaming up behind, as they round the tip of the Cherbourg Peninsula at dawn on the morning of February 12, 1942.
Four Knight’s Cross holders, two JG-2 Me109 pilots and two German Navy crew who sailed with the Channel Dash fleet have joined the General in signing this historic edition making this one of the most collectable limited edition prints ever published.

Overall print size: 33" wide x 25¼" high

Signed by the artist Robert Taylor and FIVE holders of the Knight’s Cross:

General Adolf Galland
Having lead squadron in the Spanish Campaign, Adolf Galland was an experienced Ace by the time WW II commenced. He fought in the Battles of Poland, France and Britain, leading the famous JG-26 Abbeville Boys in combat against the RAF’s best. In 1941 he was promoted to ‘Inspector General of the Fighter Arm’, a position he held until the end of 1944. In Feb.1942 Hitler selected Galland personally to organise the fighter escort for the spectacular ‘Channel Dash’. He became the youngest General in the German High Command. Open disagreements with Goering’s tactics led to his dismissal. He reverted to combat flying, forming the famous JV-44 jet wing. With 104 air victories, all in the West, Adolf Galland received the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.

Major Gerhard Schopfel
Gerhard Schopfel was one of the Luftwaffe’s most successful Aces during the air battles of 1940.He succeeded Adolf Galland as Kommodore of JG-26 and flew operationally in the air cover on the Channel Dash. Later, Kommodore of JG-4 and then JG-6, he flew over 700 missions. Awarded the Knight’s Cross, he achieved 40 victories, all in the West.

Korvettenkapitan Friedrich-Karl Paul
Captain of the torpedo-boat Jaguar, Paul took part in the Channel Dash breakthrough in February 1942 and shot down 3 aircraft. In March he successfully captured a Royal Navy launch and in October his torpedo-boat sank the British Cruiser Charybois in the English Channel. He later served in the Baltic. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross.

Oberleutnant Adolf Glunz
Adolf Glunz flew on the Channel Dash operation with II./JG-26, securing a victory during the mission. He became one of the most successful fighter pilots on the Western Front, and remarkably was never shot down or wounded in over 574 missions. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross and achieved a total of 71 victories.

Oberleutnant-zur-See Gerd-Dietrich Schneider
Gerd-Dietrich Schneider was Captain of the mine-searcher ‘R25’, and was part of the Channel Dash task force. Later, he participated in the German invasion of the Crimea. He transferred to an artillery flotilla during the Allied invasion of France in 1944, and the German retreat in the Baltic. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross

See also Robert Taylor's print 'Most Memorable Day' in our main Robert Taylor Aviation Gallery

If you have arrived at this page through a ‘backdoor’ you will have nowhere to go.

Please click here to go to our HOME page

www.oliversart.com