Mk 2 Carrier water can

[marco]

Some information about water cans from the XIIMD War Diary but this info should also apply for other units.


Marco

[Robert Bergeron]

Nice Marco , very nice information ! Thank-you

[Robert Bergeron]

One of my friends sent me a picture of an original red 2 Gal can .

Could you post it here please Michael R ? Thanks.

[Kirk Armitage]

Picked this can up the other day, never paid attention until I got it beside another one. The common one on the left has rounded corners and the usual markings, the mystery one has sharp corners and no markings that I can find.Any info would be appreciated. Thanks K Armitage

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Kirk Armitage

....., the mystery one has sharp corners and no markings that I can find.

Not unlike many things, when the original items become hard to find, a certain asian country will begin to make copies to fill the demand.

While not specifically a military POL can, the area of petrol companies who also used these types of cans is an active and lucrative area of collecting, and so you can now buy "NEW" cans to fill your needs.

I wonder if Kirk's find is somebody's attempt to fill a need for a hard to find can?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GOLDEN-F...4AAOSwcw1ejnLK

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

I wonder if Kirk's find is somebody's attempt to fill a need for a hard to find can?

Not a single scratch or rust stain on the lily white 'PETROL'? after 75 years? Hmmmmm….

[Kirk Armitage]

Rest of the can is chipped paint ,worn look, some dents and small rust hole starting in the bottom. The can is slightly shorter than an original, also a shorter neck and the handle is straight not angled. Believe it came out of an antique store in ontario.
Kirk

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Not unlike many things, when the original items become hard to find, a certain asian country will begin to make copies to fill the demand.

While not specifically a military POL can, the area of petrol companies who also used these types of cans is an active and lucrative area of collecting, and so you can now buy "NEW" cans to fill your needs.

I wonder if Kirk's find is somebody's attempt to fill a need for a hard to find can?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GOLDEN-F...4AAOSwcw1ejnLK

Oh how I wish I could buy these repro at $10 a pop from China. I think I'm up to 19 I need to fill my bins and would happily do it with lookalike dummies.

Kirk, is the cap thread size the same? Does the filler look grafted on?

[Michael R.]

... have a little faith ...

[Kirk Armitage]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Oh how I wish I could buy these repro at $10 a pop from China. I think I'm up to 19 I need to fill my bins and would happily do it with lookalike dummies.

Kirk, is the cap thread size the same? Does the filler look grafted on?

Had another look Bruce , caps are the same , no ring on the neck for a chain. All the solder joints are old look ing, galvanized metal showing where scratched/chipped . If someone weathered this, their good. Either way it's going on the shelf as a possible imposter , but still green. Lol Kirk

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Oh how I wish I could buy these repro at $10 a pop from China.

Can't quite get that low, $12.50ea is about the cheapest we can get from India!

Seems any logo is available, Shell, Castrol, Rolls Royce. If wonder if we could commission some MLU cans?

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...16881aabx5canS

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...534178182D8L6P

[Ed Storey]

Originally Posted by Kirk Armitage

Picked this can up the other day, never paid attention until I got it beside another one. The common one on the left has rounded corners and the usual markings, the mystery one has sharp corners and no markings that I can find.Any info would be appreciated. Thanks K Armitage

The petrol tin with the square corners may be Australian.

[Kirk Armitage]

Thanks Ed , I'll start looking that direction, any hint on what made you think it's Australian ?
Regards K Armitage

[Ed Storey]

There is a photograph on page 192 of David B. Gordon's book, Equipment of the WWII Tommy - Revised and Expanded - 2010 ISBN 1-57510-151-4, which illustrates the tops of four petrol tins; the one with the square corners is identified as being Australian. This would need to be varified from a primary source but is certainly a good lead as to where to start looking.

Good luck with your hunt.