Thomas Langford-Sainsbury


Thomas Audley Langford-Sainsbury, was a senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Air Forces in Egypt during the Second World War.

RAF career

Educated at Radley College, Langford-Sainsbury was commissioned in to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 during the First World War. He went on to command No. 38 Squadron from 1932 and No. 48 Squadron from 1936. Promoted to wing commander in 1937, he served in the Second World War on the Air Staff at Headquarters No. 16 Group and then as Deputy Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Coastal Command from 1941. He continued his war service as Air Officer Commanding No. 15 Group from 1942, Air Officer Commanding No. 201 Group from 1943 and Air Officer Commanding AHQ Eastern Mediterranean from 1944. He was made Air Officer Commanding AHQ Egypt in November 1944 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Bomber Command in May 1945.
After the war he served as Air Officer Administration at Headquarters British Air Forces of Occupation before retiring in 1949.