Stuka pilot Leutnant Heinz Üldemann. JG 77 took a toll of the RAF fighters, nine of which were claimed destroyed. Berres claimed his 34th victory in the air battle. On 17 March Berres claimed another spitfire. The following day Berres claimed JG 77's only victory—a reconnaissance Spitfire of No. 680 Squadron RAF. On 24 March—the day after the loss of Geschwaderkommodore Joachim Müncheberg—13 Bf 109s of Berres' I./JG 77 intercepted 18 B-25 Mitchell bombers from the 321st Bombardment Group escorted by the 57th and 58th Fighter Group. Berres claimed a P-40, then a B-25, followed by another P-40 in 11 minutes. The Germans claimed seven American aircraft for one wounded, one killed and one captured. Berres had achieved his 37th, 38th and 39th victories. On 2 April Berres scrambled with 3./JG 77 and after claiming his 40th victory over a P-40 was shot down near Oudref but escaped back to German lines. On 7 April the British 1st Armoured Division and US II Corps linked up east of Gabes. That evening the British IX Corps broke into the Fondouk Pass and the British 128th Infantry Brigade seized Pichon. However the American 34th Infantry Division was repulsed at Djebel Aouareb. In the large air battles Berres shot down a Spitfire flown by Flight Sergeant G. W. Sweeney of 601 Squadron. The last success was claimed over the collapsing front on 5 May 1943. The P-40 was Berres' 44th victory. Death From 10:40 to 11:20 on 25 July 1943, seven Bf 109s from I./JG 77 and five Bf 109s from I./JG 77 were ordered to provide fighter escort to ten Junkers Ju 52 from I./Transportgeschwader 1 (TG 1—1st Transport Wing). The Ju 52s had been tasked with resupplying German forces on the northern coast of Sicily. Roughly east of Milazzo, the escort fighters came under attack by about 30 Spitfires while further fighters engaged the Ju 52s. During this encounter, all ten Ju 52s were shot down over the Gulf of Saint Euphemia. JG 77 suffered four Bf 109s shot down with three pilots escaping unharmed and one pilot killed in action. Berres died in his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 18 101—factory number) "BF+QU", shot down near Milazzo. Berres had become a victim of No. 322 Wing RAF led by Colin Falkland Gray. Berres was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 19 September 1943. He had been