WW1 RNAS Officers Lanchester Armoured Car Bronze Collar Badge, right facing

According to May in the chapter on the "The Flying Services -The R.N.A.S." pp239/240:

"Officers' collar badges of the Talbot armoured car are known, as are slightly larger variants, in bronze and gilt of the Lanchester armoured car".

This is a gilding metal with an applied bronze finish, with two original loops to the reverse and depicts the Lanchester Armoured Car. Some wear to bronze finish and some twisting to the lugs but otherwise in very good condition. Right facing. Rare.

The Lanchester Armoured Car (nicknamed the Flying Fish) was used to equip three squadrons of the RNAS. Six vehicles were sent out to Lawrence of Arabia, but never made it as they were torpedoed on route. The design was unconventional as the engine was mounted alongside the driver, affording better armoured protection. There was a six wheeler version produced in the 1920s for the 11th Hussars, but its use was dropped completely by 1926. Some rated them superior to the Rolls Royce armoured car, especially its springing arrangements which afforded greater tyre economy.

Comm ADSM

Code: 62989