II./KG 55 was also founded at Giessen and trained alongside I./KG 55. Data records that it had 31 He 111s when it was ordered to the airbase at Wesendorf under the leadership of "Gruppenkommandeur" Otto von Lachemair. III./KG 55 was officially formed at Neudorf near Oppeln in Silesia on 1 December 1939. The "staffeln" began forming exactly a month earlier on 1 November. The formation spent the winter training on the He 111 and were ready for operations by May 1940. The "Gruppe" was operational by March and was placed on high alert on 24 March. It was based at Gablingen until the western offensive. "Major" Hans Schemmell commanded the unit from 1 December 1939 – 30 September 1940.