Thomas Langford-Sainsbury
Air Vice Marshal Thomas Audley Langford-Sainsbury, CB, OBE, DFC, AFC & Two Bars (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.
Thomas Langford-Sainsbury | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 November 1897 |
| Died | 21 June 1972 (aged 74) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | British Army (1916–18) Royal Air Force (1918–49) |
| Years of service | 1916–49 |
| Rank | Air Vice Marshal |
| Commands held | AHQ Egypt (1944–45) AHQ Eastern Mediterranean (1944) No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) Group (1943–44) No. 15 (General Reconnaissance) Group (1942–43) No. 48 Squadron (1936–38) No. 36 Squadron (1932–35) |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Officer of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross & Two Bars Mentioned in Despatches |
RAF career
Educated at Radley College,[1] Langford-Sainsbury was commissioned in to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 during the First World War.[2] He went on to command No. 38 Squadron from 1932 and No. 48 Squadron from 1936.[2] Promoted to wing commander in 1937,[3] 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.[2] 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.[2] He was made Air Officer Commanding AHQ Egypt in November 1944 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Bomber Command in May 1945.[2]
After the war he served as Air Officer Administration at Headquarters British Air Forces of Occupation before retiring in 1949.[2]
References
- "The Radleian 1943 – No. 594 June". Radley archives. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice Marshal T A Langford-Sainsbury
- Service notes and news Flight International, 8 April 1937
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Douglas Colyer |
Air Officer Commanding No. 15 (General Reconnaissance) Group 1942–1943 |
Succeeded by Leonard Slatter |
| Preceded by James Scarlett-Streatfield (Acting) |
Air Officer Commanding No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) Group 1943–1944 |
Absorbed into Air Defence Eastern Mediterranean |