Rödel was promoted to "Hauptmann" (captain) on 1 May 1942. On 20 May 1942, Rödel was appointed "Gruppenkommandeur" (Group Commander) of II./JG 27, replacing "Major" Erich Gerlitz who took over III. "Gruppe" of "Jagdgeschwader" 53. In the last week of May the desert fighting escalated in the Battle of Gazala and Battle of Bir Hakeim. On 23 May Rödel led the formation in an attack on 33 Squadron Hurricanes. He shot down its leader Flight Lieutenant P. D. Wade (not to be confused Lance Wade in the same squadron). Wade survived the ditching into the sea but died, presumably of drowning or wounds. Rödel's combat report stated that he observed the enemy pilot swimming away from his sinking fighter. Rödel claimed one other victory that day. 5. "Staffel" lost one Bf 109 with a wounded pilot and "Lehrgeschwader" 1 lost one Junkers Ju 88 in air combat and two on the ground. Italian units suffered no losses. Four Hurricanes were lost and two badly damaged. Two Martin Baltimore bombers were destroyed and two badly damaged. Two pilots from 33 and another two from 80 Squadron were killed as well as six men from the Boston-equipped No. 233 Squadron RAF. Marseille and Homuth claimed the bombers—two by the former and one by the latter. Rödel now had 41.