Mk 2 Carrier water can

[Ed Storey]

Yes, you could potentially see all three in use at the same time in NW Europe, plus US Jerry Cans and even German cans. For sure, the water could taste like petrol if the cans got mixed up, that is why the 2 gallon cans were painted in very distinct colours.

The manufacture of 2 gallon cans pre-dates the Great War. During that conflict there was another set of colours in use and one of the complaints by Veterans of that conflict was that the drinking water regularly had a film on it and it tasted like petrol.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thank-you Ed,

I have a few examples of the US jerrycans, water and gas. I do not think our friends in the US used the word ''petrol '' .

When i have a chance i will take a few pictures of those and post them for future reference. They were indeed all carried ( Canadian , Brit and US ) by the Canadians in combat . I have seen a lot of pictures of Canadian Carriers with the 5 Gal jerrycans tied up on the top of the back plate , two on each side . 5 gallons is much better than 2 when travelling fast across France, Belgium and Holland . That was before coming to a complete stop on the Breskens Peninsula...but that is another matter.

Anyway, the idea of having only 2 gallon containers for anything like precious petrol for the machines and water for the crew was outdated from the beginning in a war of movement. That the Germans understood well and that is why they invented the ''Jerrycan '' before North Africa . Indeed Ed, the 2 gal can precedes the 1 st World War, thank-you for reminding us. My point if you see it coming is that it was absolescent after WW1 .

The 2 gal can for armored vehicules was absolescent since the late 20's and early 30's when the great joint Russian / German school of armour at Kazan was formed and it's teachings impressed the future European armoured officers . Armoured doctrine and Guderian already predicted that the next war would be a war of movement. Hence the ''Blitzkrieg '' ( correct my spelling ) .

Before i post some of the US Jerrycans, can any of our British Commonwealth friends post pictures of their country's period water and petrol cans as they were carried on their country' s Carriers for comparison to the Canadian practice please ?

Lauren, as far as local 4 gallon cans , i think you were alluding to what was / is called '' flimsy's '' , am i correct ? Post a few pictures please so we will be able to see the great advantages of the jerrycan vs the flimsy for a mechanised army in campaign.

Let me state a few : 1 gal more content. Reusable infinitum. Can be carried in pairs no problem by one man.

Many thanks.

[cletrac (RIP)]

Blitzkrieg is OK but you missed the boat on obsolescent.

[Lynn Eades]

While it is "get Robert time".
Have you fueled up your carrier from a Jerry can, "without a funnel etc", yet Robert? (no pourer allowed sorry) (you technically ruled it out with the "etc")

You second to last line refers to "carrying two Jerry cans by one man, no problem". You must mean empty ones!?

I was on exercise in Fiji in the early 70's. Every one was carrying gear. I was tasked with carrying a modern standard plastic 20 litre water container (full of drinking water) up a big hill. A long climb. I was wearing my webbing and a pack full of gear, along with the SLR (L1A1) and I will never forget having to carry that bloody thing.
Remember "gas" (petrol) has a S.G. of 0.76 or there abouts. Water is 1.00!
Don't give me "no problem!"

[Bob Carriere]

The short neck on the fuel tank was over shadowed by the tool box..... and even though the tool box has a 45 degree notch over the filler neck it is next to impossible to refuel with a 2 gal POW unless you have the offset funnel or better still the "horsecock" device screwed to the 2 gal. PWO container.

I have observd that a lot of field photos in North Afrika the CMP fuel filler neck has been extended to twice it's lenght possibly to deal with refueling issues....either that or the truck was aroused!!!!!!

Cheers

[Robert Bergeron]

My friends,

Thank you Lynn for your comments. I was not thinking of the poor light infantry when making my comments because the tread concerned water cans on Canadian Mk 2 Carriers , a mechanised vehicule for the modern mechanised warfare practiced in the WW2 NWE theatre of war . You are abolutely right, those goddamned Jerry cans are too heavy to carry around in the jungle like you and the Chindits did before you.

That is right Bob my friend but we are talking about the WW2 Carriers .

Thank God for the large filling cap on the later versions of the American Jeep. Spilling of fuel yes but when you have to fill up and go that is the way to go.

Here a few examples of the US Jerrycans , fuel and water and they are radicaly different from either the Canadian or the British versions .

Lastly, the issue has not evolved much in the last 75 years because here you have a modern, current Canadian water can / Jerrycan . It is made of plastic, it is black and it weights a lot when full. Better suited for vehicule mounting than being carried by light infantry in the mountains of Afghanistan.

So, coming back to the initial subject. Carrier crews would mount whatever they could get their hands on to carry as much fuel and water to last till the next replenishment. It could take quite a while. 2 gal, 5 gal Brit / US Jerrycans you name it.

In my humble opinion the US 5 gal water Jerrycan was the best because of the large mouth . Unfortunately i see no photographic evidence they were ever used by the Canadians. It is better and the evidence to that is that it is still largely employed today in the form of the plastic example i have posted. They are also made sand desert colour.

As far as the fuel container , the British 5 Gal Jerrycan was better. The US Jerrycan really needed a funnel to work . Anyone wants to add on this ? I am open to critisizim but please , please let's stay gentlemanly.

I am still curious to see what Lynn , Lauren ( thanks for the nice 2 gal can pictures ) and the other folks from the Commonwealth are going to post for pictures of 4, 5 gallon cans and flymsies so we can compare with the Canadian Carrier experience . I am really interested .

Picture 1- Left 1944 US gas Jerrycan right 1944 US Water can. Picture 2- 1944 gas Jerrycan. 3- Current Canadian water can. Used from the mid 80's till present day.

David Dunlop you little bugger , you posted the best picture . A wine Jerrycan of all things . Only the French...

Radek, your picture of a green Canadian watercan is mystifying..

Wait till my next post gentlemen, you are in for a surprise.

Cheers.

[Robert Bergeron]

Friends,

We seem like we want to expand this discussion to fuel cans as installed in Canadian Carriers NWE 44-45.

Not wanting to fuel controversy ( petrol-fuel, got it ? ) , i suggest there were multiple colours available for 2 gal and 5 gal water / fuel cans .

We have seen white, gray ( Robert) , green ( Radek, Lauren, Lynn maybe ) maybe black ( Robert again ) . As for fuel 2 and 5 gal cans we have seen green.

I now introduce to you the RED 2 gal petrol/ gas can !

Like Radek's , it is official Canadian military stenciling , not a repaint.

Picture 1- To the left Green GSW CBroad Arrow marked PETROL 1944 , to the right RED GSW CBroad arrow marked PETROL 1943 .

Picture 2- 44 left , 43 right . C Broad arrow both cases .

picture 3- GSW years 44 and 43 respectively.

How about this ? Isn't a gas ?

Stewart : BTW thanks for posting the bails . That was a new one for me .