In response to the failed Italian invasion of Egypt, Hitler aided Benito Mussolini to prevent a collapse of the Axis powers in the North African Campaign. Operation Compass in 1941 drove out the Italian 10th Army and threatened to destroy Italian forces in Italian Libya. Among the Luftwaffe contingent rushed to Africa was III./ZG 26 along with a single "staffel" from I./ZG 26, 2./ZG 26. They arrived at airstrips near Castel Benito, Sirte and Marble Arch on 30 January 1941. All of these units came under the command of "Gruppenkommandeur" Karl Kaschka and his adjutant, "Oberleutnant" Fritze Schulze-Dickow, who led 8./ZG 26. The group consisted of 7, 8 and 9 "staffel". ZG 26 was tasked with supporting elements of StG 1, StG 2 and StG 3 and their Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive-bombers. On 10 February 1941, ZG 26's opponents in Africa amounted to two squadrons; No. 73 Squadron RAF and No. 3 Squadron RAAF. Two days later Erwin Rommel, commander of the German Africa Corps arrived in Tripoli followed by elements of what became the 21st Panzer Division on 14 February. On this date, ZG 26 suffered the first loss in Africa when III "Gruppe" Bf 110 was shot down and its pilot "Unteroffizier" Lippski and his gunner captured. A further loss occurred on 15 February, but III./ZG 26 claimed its first success in combat with 3 RAAF on 19 February. The German unit shielded II./StG 2, and at the cost of one Bf 110 and a Ju 87, destroyed two Hurricanes, killing one pilot. With Operation Sonnenblume in the full-swing, III./ZG 26 suffered two casualties on 23 February as Axis forces recaptured Cyrenaica.