TWO SCARCE IMMEDIATE PRE WW2 PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS TO A TANK DRIVER & 8TH ARMY VETERAN WHO JOINED THE ROYAL TANK CORPS IN 1935, SERVING UNTIL 1946. MANY SCARCE SHOTS OF VICKERS MEDIUM MARK II TANKS IN THE DESERT CIRCA 1937-8

Two very fine photograph albums belonging to 7885576 W/Corporal Rowland Arthur Emerson Royal Tank Corps/Royal Armoured Corps. Enlisted 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 (digital copies with group) 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.

THE PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS

Small 21 x 16cm hardbound photograph album containing 26 14x 8.7cm photos of Emerson’s early service/training; group shots, Vickers tanks, Rolls Royce armoured cars, several WW1 tanks etc. Also 13 non military postcards (most loose).

Large 32 x 24cm photograph album, approximately 260 photos taken in Egypt, 1937-8 whilst Emerson was serving there with the Tank Corps. Approximately 110 of the photos are directly related to Emerson’s unit, with a very large percentage of these of tanks and crew in the desert on manoeuvres, testing tank traps etc. Some outstanding shots of tanks passing the pyramids. Emerson’s unit were equipped with Vickers Medium Mark II tank:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Medium_Mark_II

Also small number of others are of Emersion training 1935, celebrating Cambrai Day in Egypt etc etc. The balance of the photos are taken in Egypt 1937-8 and include many of the Egyptian Royal wedding, war ships, some military and aviation, people and scenery in Cairo, Jerusalem etc

The larger of the albums in particular is superb and has a large number of very scarce shots Vickers Medium tanks in the desert.

Note: Emerson’s medal and document group are listed in the medal groups section of this website.