JG 1s make up was unusual for fighter wings usually had three, as opposed to four, "gruppen". Nevertheless, while JG 1 provided a "powerful front line" in the Netherlands, the defences behind it were as sparse as they had been in 1939. At the beginning of 1943 Stab and I. "Gruppe" were based at Jever. The headquarters flight had four Focke-Wulf Fw 190s (all operational) while I. "Gruppe" had 40 (27) Bf 109s. II. "Gruppe" was at Woensdrecht with 40 (41) Fw 190s and III. "Gruppe", in Denmark and southern Norway had 53 (48). IV. "Gruppe" was located at München Gladbach with 41 (27). "Geschwaderkommodore" Erich Mix's wing would spend their time intercepting some RAF Coastal Command and Fighter Command incursions, on top of convoy-patrols along the coast, while waiting for the USAAF heavy bombers. Postwar research concludes that at least 23 Fighter Command casualties can be linked to JG 1. Further losses may be attributed to JG 1—on 2 May 1943 JG 1 claimed seven Spitfires, four were lost. The following day Wing Commander Howard Blatchford was killed in action with JG 1 over the Netherlands. Hans Ehlers may have been his assailant.