Mölders returned to his unit by the end of September and continued to win aerial victories. On 11 October, Mölders claimed his 43rd victory. The No. 66 Squadron RAF Spitfire I "X4562" was flown by Pilot Officer J. H. T. Pickering, who bailed out, wounded, over Canterbury. Three Hurricanes on 12 October brought his tally to 51 victories, and he received a preferential promotion to "Oberstleutnant" in recognition of his 50 victories on 25 October 1940. While a severe bout of influenza then kept him grounded for a few weeks, his wingman in over 60 aerial combats, "Oberleutnant" Georg Claus, was killed over the Thames. On 1 December, Mölders claimed his last and 55th victory of 1940, 25 of which occurred in the Battle of France and 30 in the Battle of Britain.