He was attached to 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge on 5 September and, after converting to Hurricanes, rejoined 263 on 13 September.
Commissioned in May 1941, Rudland destroyed two Bf 109s in the air and damaged a Ju 87 on the ground during a sortie in a Whirlwind against Maupertas airfield in France on 6 August that year.
He was appointed a Flight Commander later in 1941 and awarded the DFC. He was posted to No 19 Squadron at Perranporth in September 1942, again as a Flight Commander.
Rudland was detached to Vickers-Supermarine, Southampton, in December, for test pilot duties, remaining there until October 1943. He joined No 131 Squadron in November as a Flight Commander.
He was promoted to acting Squadron Leader in August 1944 and given command of No 64 Squadron at Harrowbeer. He was posted away in March 1945, to be Wing Commander Flying at Andrews Field, Essex. He was awarded a Bar to the DFC.
From May to August 1945 Rudland served at HQ No 11 Group and then went on a course at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Rudland returned to the UK in November 1945 and was released from the RAF later in the month, as a Wing Commander. He served in the RAFVR from 1946 to 1951. He died in March 1996.
