Photos from a British Tank Commander.

[Keith Webb]

Seeing well known (and not so well known) images in private albums is not unusual. Given that they were not supposed to carry private cameras a lot of them became opportunistic photo collectors (God bless 'em).

I know from talking to many veterans that some photos in their albums were those they were able to grab, often as they left their units at the end of the war.

Many former servicemen were in serious 'memento' or ''souvenir' mode at that stage and a lot of units had loads of photographs which were going to be destroyed.

Again, great that you can share these with us Tony.

[Private_collector]

Thanks Chaps!

I thought the old soldier said he took the photos, but bearing in mind he had a stroke some time ago, I may have misunderstood.

I will see him again in a couple of weeks. I'm taking my Son to meet him. Will photograph his Wifes newspaper clipping and post those here too.

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Thanks Chaps!

I thought the old soldier said he took the photos, but bearing in mind he had a stroke some time ago, I may have misunderstood.

I will see him again inma couple of weeks. I'm taking my Son to meet him. Will photograph his Wifes newspaper clipping and post those here too.

Perhaps when he said took... he meant "borrowed"?

[Private_collector]

Indeed!

[Mike Cecil]

Whatever the source, always good to see them (there is always something new). As Keith said, often copies of images from other sources mixed in with their own. And this is not restricted to WW2, either: some of the private albums I've looked at covering service in SVN also contain a mix of official and private photography. I suppose it goes to the reason for the album: for their personal recollection/memory.

I know my father didn't carry a camera, but he had a small stack of images of the surrender on Moratai. They were taken by an official photographer, and multiple copies were distributed among the onlookers as momentos.

Mike