That is an old "C" licence or "Carriers Licence" - used during the war, I think and for a few years after!
Quite a few years after, I have some with expiry dates of 1940, 1953 and 1957, for the same vehicle (JT 2486) For another vehicle (HTX 271) an expiry date of 1965.
The C licence was for carrying goods in connection with a trade or business.
To carry for hire or reward required an A or B licence. I have a few B licences, expire 1962 and 1964, for the vehicle mentioned above(JT 2486), these are annotated with an operating radius of ten miles.
The name on them would be the user as a name/company name and not necessarily the owner, unless owner/operator. Superseded/updated by the current operators licence at some point in the past.
I expect one or two military vehicles acquired these in civilian life, all part of their history.