 Complete the following phrase:  Schnell soon became one of the leading scorers in III.JG 51, reaching 31 by the end of July. In recognition of this, he was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross  on 1 August, becoming the fourth in his Gruppe to be so honoured. When JG 51s collective total reached 2000 victories on 7 September with the Battle of Smolensk raging doubling in less than ten weeks, Schnells personal score had risen to 38. Over the rest of the year, as the weather worsened, his unit fought in the 