Allegiance United Kingdom Years of service 1916 - 1949 Rank Air vice-marshal | Name Thomas Langford-Sainsbury Died June 21, 1972 | |
Commands held No. 38 SquadronNo. 48 SquadronNo. 15 (General Reconnaissance) GroupNo. 201 (Naval Co-operation) GroupAHQ Eastern MediterraneanAHQ Egypt Battles/wars World War IWorld War II Awards Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross | ||
Battles and wars World War I, World War II | ||
Air Vice Marshal Thomas Audley Langford-Sainsbury, (23 November 1897 – 21 June 1972) 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 (Reconnaissance) 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 (General Reconnaissance) Group from 1942, Air Officer Commanding No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) 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.