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Pic: Bosleys/BNPS

Tanks unloading in South Russia 1919

A remarkable collection of photos of a British tank corps in Russia during the Civil War has come to light 100 years later.

They were taken by the highly-decorated Captain Reginald Shaw MBE who was attached to the White Russian forces during their battle with the Bolsheviks in 1919 and 1920.

The album of photos was discovered in his wood transit chest which was found in the garden shed of a recently deceased relative. The contents of the case, which includes Capt Shaw's uniform and pocket book, have emerged for sale with auctioneers Bosleys, of Marlow, Bucks.

The images could be said to have an added poignancy with the recent news that Britain's tanks could be 'mothballed' as part of cost-cutting modernisation plans.

One extraordinary photo shows a tank being lifted using a crane at a port with an officer nonchalantly stood on top of it.