Educated at Radley College,[1] Langford-Sainsbury was commissioned in to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 during the First World War.
[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.
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.