Add some light to His Majesty’s Service (UPDATE: Talbot)

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R.N.A.S. stands for "Royal Naval Air Station”. These were military bases used by the Royal Navy for their fleet of airplanes. They also maintained twelve airship stations around the coast of Britain. Near the end of World War I the RNAS merged with the British Army’s Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force. This picture clearly dates from the beginning of the war and was probably taken around London as “LM” was a registration number from North West London. What was the purpose of this rather splendid and enormous spot lamp? Was it used for spotting airships? It was demountable as we have another picture of the same car without the lamp. Closer inspection of the car seems to indicate a rather home built body on what is perhaps a light truck chassis. On the radiator grille the initials 'OHMS' (On His Majesty’s Service) can just be discerned. But what is the make? We would love to know! (And as an aside: wouldn't it be nice to use this lamp to frighten an oncoming car with xenon or other undipped headlamps!) (text and photos Mike Tebbett) (RB)

Update VII: Wing Commander Brian Crook tells us that RNAS on the searchlight car stands for: ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE (not Station) The RNAS and the Royal Flying Corps amalgamated on 1st April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Update VI from Stuart Tallack: “Wasn't Rawlinson's mobile anti-aircraft gun and searchlight contingent based at Barlby Road, the Talbot works? They were often operated from the HAC HQ in the City and drove along such roads as Holborn at full chat. Finding Lieutenant Commander Rawlinson's book would probably answer all questions. Sir Percy Scott was in charge of London AA defence and was, I think, based at Ken Wood House.”
Update V by Bob Cordon Champ: “OHMS was commonly carried by military vehicles in WW1, often on impressed civilian ones as well as wholly military examples, the letters often seen on the front number-plate of motor cycles. The initials are more commonly seen today on government envelopes, happily, post-1952, meaning On Her Majesty's Service.”
Update IV comes from Richard Armstrong: “I see someone beat me to clarifying the abbreviation RNAS, but I do hope everybody realises that David Manson was joking! There's a good synopsis of anti-Zeppelin defence here. The picture was probably taken somewhere in Eastern England. If the Zeppelins evaded the coastal air patrols, then mobile searchlight units could be deployed in order that other home defence aircraft could be guided to their target. The "OHMS" inscription is odd, though. Army vehicles had "WD" (War Department) painted on the radiator. I'd guess - I can't find a picture - that Royal Navy lorries would carry "RN", so perhaps this vehicle had been commandeered from some government department - "OHMS" is more indicative of the Civil Service than anything military.”
Update III by Hugh Ellis who confirms the vehicle is indeed a Talbot. Pictures of all the armoured vehicles used at the time can be seen here. The Royal Naval Air Service is now called the Fleet Air Arm. It operates some land based Royal Naval Air Stations, the best known of which, at Yeovilton, Somerset is also the site of the museum.
Update II by editor Rutger Booy: The abbreviation RNAS seems to have two meanings: ‘Royal Naval Air Service’ and ‘Royal Naval Air Station’ the last one should then always be followed by a geographical place in which the air station is located.
Update I: Fons Alkemade, Mark Dawber and David Manson all say the car is a Talbot, perhaps a 25hp model. David adds: “The light would be to detect Zeppelins, which the marksmen would then bring down with a single well-placed shot!”

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