Often see these lamps on ebay,autojumbles and flea/antique fairs also,nearly allways described as railway lamps,usually the cover that clips over the glass/lens is missing,now after seeing these photos they could possibly be nothing to do with railways but simply a road traffic control lamp used by the military for convoy route marking at night,there is a photo of a pile of these in a jeep,where they might also clip onto a tripod/spike,on the motorcycles they seem to be clipped onto some kind of tray,and were probably left on there and the bike parked up near the kerb.









above,they have a red and green function.
below,cover has direction arrow,plus these markings.




above,you can just about see one on this bike.

Good spot Steve! 👍

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I have a few of them in varying conditions but I haven't found an arrow lense cover yet.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Hi Rob, there's at least another three in that side car body, on a verge they must be clipped onto some kind of tripod or spike, on a kerb free standing, suppose we'll never know as not many photos were taken at night.

These lamps may have been used to mark cleared routes through minefields during night advances / attacks. Paraffin lamps were certainly used to mark cleared routes through minefields in the Western Desert during night advances / attacks and I understand that were suspended on poles.

email (option): keithchandler49@outlook.com

Interesting to see a Thompson fitted to the MP's bike, not seen that before.

I think its safe to say that only the Military Police carried these lamps on motor cycles, this one on a Norton.