Convey to the crews of 44 and 97 Squadrons who took part in the Augsburg raid, the following: the resounding blow which has been struck at the enemy’s submarine and tank building programme will echo round the world. The full effects of his submarine campaigns cannot be immediately apparent, but nevertheless they will be enormous. This gallant adventure penetrating deep into the heart of Germany in daylight and pressed home with outstanding determination in the face of bitter and unforeseen opposition takes its place amongst the most courageous operations of the war. It is moreover yet another fine example of effective cooperation with the other services by striking at the very sources of the enemy effort. The officers and men who took part, those who returned and those who fell, have indeed served their country well.’ Air Marshal A. T. ‘Bomber’ Harris’s summary of the famous daylight strike on Augsburg in April 1942. The outstanding Second World War immediate D.S.O., immediate D.F.C. and immediate Bar, A.F.C. group of nine awarded to Wing Commander E. E. ‘Rod’ Rodley, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, one of just seven such combinations of gallantry awards won by the R.A.F. in the last war immediate D.F.C. and immediate Bar, A.F.C. group of nine awarded to Wing Commander E. E. ‘Rod’ Rodley, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, one of just seven such combinations of gallantry awards won by the R.A.F. in the last war A long-served pilot of No. 97 Squadron, who often acted as Marker in Path Finder Force operations, Rodley amassed an impressive tally of 76 operational sorties, among them the famous attack on Peenemunde in August 1943 He was already a veteran of two equally famous strikes, the first of them Operation “Margin”, the daring low-level daylight strike on the M.A.N. diesel factory at Augsburg in April 1942 - in which Squadron Leader J. D. Nettleton won the V.C. – and Operation “Bellicose”, the attack on the old Zeppelin sheds at Friedrichshafen in June 1943, when one of his target indicator bombs blew up in his Lancaster: on both occasions – in the face of intense opposition – he displayed ‘magnificent airmanship’ and coaxed his damaged Lancaster home Awarded an immediate D.S.O. towards the end of his second operational tour, Rodley added an A.F.C. to his accolades for his services as an Instructor at Warboys and then commenced his third operational tour as C.O. of No. 128 Squadron at Wyton, flying Mosquitos as part of the Light Night Strike Force. It was in this latter role, in the closing months of the war, that he undertook no less than seven trips to the ‘Big City’ In 1946 Rodley commenced a distinguished career in civil aviation, initially as a pilot and instructor for British South American Airways (B.S.A.A.). Following the airline’s takeover by British Overseas Airways Corporation (B.O.A.C.) in 1949, he was actively engaged in the Comet programme - often flying with John Cunningham – and was rewarded with a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse of the suspension bar officially dated ‘1943’, with its Garrard & Co. case of issue; Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar, the reverse of the Cross officially dated ‘1942’ and the reverse of the Bar ‘1943’, with its Royal Mint case of issue and card box of issue for the Bar; Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1945’, with its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Coronation 1953, with its card box of issue; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Fg. Off. E. E. Rodley, R.A.F.V.R.), together with the recipient’s Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air badges (2), silver, the reverses numbered ‘R.D. 847363’, good very fine (11)
