WWII BRITISH JERRYCAN (JERRICAN), 1945

Invented by the Germans before WW2 who called it the 'Wehrmachtskanister'.
Also known as a Journey Can, J.E.R.I. (Journey Extension Refillable Item).

The design was copied around the world and picked up by the British and Americans during WW2 because of its superior design.

Called a Jerrycan because the idea was copied from cans stolen from the Germans (Jerrys). It had an efficient spout and sides that could expand and contract under different conditions, with three handles so it could handled fast and efficiently.
Holding 20 Litres of fuel or water as the insides were lined with plastic.

Your comments:

• WD = War Department. The broad arrow is a symbol used traditionally in heraldry, most notably in England, and later by the British government to mark government property. It became particularly associated with the Board of Ordnance, and later the War Department and the Ministry of Defence. It was exported to other parts of the British Empire, where it was used in similar official contexts. It was disused in the 1980's.
  .......... Ritchie D, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 10th of March 2024
  
  
• MY MUM SAID SHE WELDED JERRYCANS AT WILLIAMS AND WILLIAMS .ONE OF HER MEMORIES WAS OF AN ITALIAN PRISONER OF WAR LOSING HIS HANDS IN A STEEL PRESS OR CUTTING MACHINE
  .......... F MCNALLY, BIRKENHEAD, 8th of June 2020
  
  
• The EWB mark on a Jerry can relates to the maker E.W. Bliss Co Ltd, City Road, Derby. UK.
  
  They seem to be marked W /| D
  DATE (1944 for example)
  EWB
  
  For the maker's name.
  .......... Ken Jukes, Durham, 18th of July 2017
  
  
• I own a similar JERRYCAN dated 1944. What is the meaning of the W and D letters with an arrow pointing upwards (exactly as on the model shown on this site) ? On mine, there are 3 additional letters : E.W.B. what would they mean ?
  THANKS
  .......... Jean-Pierre GAILLIEZ, LE ROEULX, Belgium, 21st of July 2015
  
  
• My mother joined necks on Jerry cans in the Chester works of Williams & Williams and then Rubery Owen in WW1 1939 until 1945
  
  When not doing that she welded pontoon bridge.
  .......... Derek Jones, Wrexham, North Wales, 3rd of October 2014
  
  
• The US forces may have used British made examples at times, but they did not manufacture this pattern as they had their own pattern.
  .......... J Harriss, Reading, 20th of December 2012
  
  

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