Joined 18th Anti-aircraft Battery 1938, Mobilized 3 September 1939. Transferred to RNZAF.

Was attached to RAF Bomber Command.

Philip Langsford final raid on German targets was 17 April 1943.

Captured the same day, he was unaware of his promotion until November 1943 when he was removed from the NCO's Stalag Luft VI and returned to Stalag Luft III which was for Officers only by then.

In a letter Lansford to Armoury dated 7 November 1998 he wrote: "The human brain seems to have a considerable capacity to gloss over extremely unpleasant facts. My effort to give a total and accurate account of POW life is reviving memories.

In January 1945 we were ordered out of Stalag Luft III. The start of an appalling journey in the depths of one of the area's worst winters. Thousands of poorly fed and equipped men were marched for 2-3 days westward from what is now Poland. Rested, briefly in a glass factory at Moscau?, then by train in cattle trucks to a run-down POW camp. Known as 'Milag Maklage Nord' in the Bremen area. In April we were on the road again, heading towards Lubeck. British Army overtook us, ensuring our release. Great rejoicing!"

Cenotaph record initially prepared with the serviceman in 1998.

WWII Flight Lieutenant. Trained in Canada en-route to service with the RAF. Was a Prisoner of War. Husband of Jackie. Ref; Martyn E W, For Your Tomorrow, Vol 3, p594, ref [63].

Member of the 'Goldfish Club', whilst serving as the Wireless Operator with the 78 Squadron, Halifax MKII W1063.On the 7th November 1942, at approximately 4am The crew were bombing Genoa Base-Linton on Dose via Swiss Alps, the lost the port inner motor over alps bombed target from 5000 feet and headed to Gibraltar. Engine failure possibly damaged by flak caused the crew to belly-flop in the ocean, off the East Coast of Spain. The crew spent approximately 4 and 1/2 hours, before being picked up by Launch (Customs), (Goldfish Club).

Phil was interviewed for a documentary Pō ki te Pō – Night after Night – Jede Nacht wieder which was aired for Anzac day 2008, produced by Jennifer Bush-Daumac. AWMM