Some pertinent history. On Tiger Moths when taxing at night there was a torch used by the pilot. At one point when I was instructing in the RAAF we operated from an all-over grass field. Prior to the first of several Tiger Moths starting engines for night flying, several trainee pilots were sent out in a jeep to set up the "Christmas Tree" which was a battery operated lighted pole where aircraft would taxi to do runs ups and pre-take off drills.
It was dark (naturally) and the CFI was impatient to get going so he taxied out to the darkened field. I recall the Tigers also had a tiny portable light attached to a strut which shone vertically down - not forward. Like a primitive radio altimeter to judge the flare height. The battery in the light went flat quickly. The CFI headed in the general direction of the Christmas Tree, weaving from side to side to `clear the nose` In the dark the trainees were frantically trying to connect up battery wires. They heard the sound of a Tiger Moth approaching. Momentary panic set in and they ran in all directions leaving the battery wires in disarray. The CFI in the front seat of the Tiger Moth asked his trainee in the rear seat if he could spot the Christmas Tree which was supposed to be lit by now.
It had to happen of course. The prop splintered against the Christmas Tree and a shower of sparks revealed its position on the grass. "I see it now" said the trainee pilot cowering in the back seat. A frightful oath from the CFI came though the Gosport Tube and henceforth night flying was cancelled for that night as there were no spare Christmas Trees in store.
From the time we learned to fly in the RAAF we were taught to take off and land without landing lights to prepare us for war zones. That was not only for Tiger Moths and Wirraways but for all military aircraft from Mustangs to Lincolns. If landing lights were to be used at all, they were not on for take off and only switched on at 300 feet on final approach. At the Joint User military and civil airfield from which flew, we envied the airlines coming in at night lit up at night "like Christmas trees" Serviceable ones of course
Civilian pilots were regarded by us military type as wimps for using landing lights. It was a different era then.