Full medal write up
1939-45 STAR, AFRICA STAR, ITALY STAR, DEFENCE MEDAL AND WAR MEDALS, IN NAMED BOX OF ISSUE, WITH UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR ENCLOSURE SLIP, MEDAL PACKETS, REGULAR ARMY CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE BOOK, AUTOGRAPH BOOK, VARIOUS TANK CORPS BADGES ETC.
A very fine and comprehensive award, document and photograph album to 7885576 W/Corporal Rowland Arthur Emerson Royal Tank Corps/Royal Armoured Corps. Regular Army certificate of service details his enlistment into the Royal Tank Corps on 15 February 1935, 11 November 1937 to Royal Armoured Corps and later transferring to the Army reserves on 1 April 1946.
Emerson, who was from Redhill and was born in 1916, was a tank driver who served in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia 11 November 1937 to 28 August 1943, then to Sicily and Italy 29 August 1943 until 10 December 1943. He then served in the UK until discharge in 1946. Exact details of his units are not known; however his autograph book (14 entries) has Several autographs for men of 44th Royal Tank Regiment, one for 8th Royal Tank Regiment, 4 October 1940, which suggests these are his units. Another notes he was in Libya in 1940.
1) Medal group in box of issue, with enclosure slip
2) regular army certificate of service
3) 8th Army Veterans enamel badge
4) Small Tank Corps badge, pin broken away from rear
5) N.A.A.F.I cap badge, belonged to his wife Dorothy, Chief Clerk N.A.A.F.I
6) Tank Corps cuff links
7) Autograph book, 14 entries; himself, several Tank Corps comrades, his brother (an RAF Flight Engineer) and his wife. Most entries circa 1940, his brothers 1943
8) Poem entitled ‘The Desert Tanks’ written to Emerson’s mother on 18 July 1942
9) 2 x snapshot photos taken in the desert
Emerson is also entitled to the 8th Army clasp, as noted on his medal card and enclosure, presumably this has been lost.
Note: Emerson’s photograph albums are listed in the militaria section of this website.