shortly after the attack on poland, magill received the order to set up ss cavalry squadrons in gut düppel and, in september 1939, in lodsch in occupied poland, then two months later in the lublin district. there, the basis of the ss skull rider standards (two regiments) formed. in may 1940, magill received an order from hermann fegelein to set up the 2nd ss-totenkopf-reiterstandard. magill was not up to the task. in april 1941 he was recalled as leader of the 2nd regiment and commander of a cavalry division with four squadrons.the regimental leader of the 1st regiment was hermann fegelein and the 2nd regiment ss-sturmbannführer was heimo hierthes (1897-1951). in the 1st regiment, magill's position was held by ss-sturmbannführer gustav lombard.