56 replies to this topic

[Chris P]

tocemma, on 06 November 2011 - 02:05 PM, said:

Chris,

I like the Ideal Milk tin with the British Army overprint. I have a Nestlés (pronounced Nessels not this posh new fangled nonsense Nest-Lay.....)tin with the overprint Suppliers to HM Forces.

Re the tea sugar tin, I'm not convinced that they are anything other than civilian workmens items. They are often said to be military but I have never seen anything to support this. My Dad used one in the 1950/60s when he was working as an engine driver for British Railways. I still have it. He tells me he bought it new in the 1950s so I would guess these tins have been around for a long time. They always struck me as being too small for a military issue.

Cheers

Tocemma

TE;
I'd agree - never found anything concrete on the Tea & sugar tins either, just circumstantial. The one with your ration - Just a 'commercial' tin too then?

ChrisP

[Chris P]

khaki, on 06 November 2011 - 04:12 PM, said:

Just love those photographs of commercial tins/cans, great stuff, keep it coming.
khaki

Heck, Khaki - These things ain't easy to find you know - but here's some Oxo tins to start with.
The cubes first appeared in 1910, & Oxo supplied over 100 million cubes to the military in WW1. Each one was wrapped, & boxed by hand at their London factory; The process wasn't automated until 1922. They also changed to a larger sized cube, & consequently a larger tin in 1929. The tins are actually quite easy to date, once you know. They changed the design countless times over the years, & many overlapped;
Top left is a ten cube tin from around 1910-11, top right a 6 cube from 1911 -12. Middle left a 6 cube from 1912 -16 or thereabouts, & middle right, a 12 cube from the same period. Bottom is a 12 cube from around 1916-22, or maybe until a bit later. The first ones weren't hinged - only the lower one here is a hinged tin.

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[Chris P]

Oxo also supplied gifts for the troops, which were attained by saving coupons from their other products. This advert (sorry, I photo'd it as quicker than scanning)was for a trench stove & cubes. Whilst I don't have a stove, copies have been made, so watch out, they are very good when aged a bit...
The small round tin is metal & card, & WW1 for sure by the Text, style & content, which matches the early tins. Probably, as it's been printed in khaki, part ofa gift, or maybe an 'issue' tin.

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[Chris P]

Many manufacturers took the oppurtunity to market their goods directly for the troops.
Gordon & McDonald's Beef Tea Cubes intoduced the 'Allies' Brand in 1915. The second one is tea,milk & sugar tablets, entitled 'Five o'clock tea in the trenches', with a quaint little picture of three happy tommies enjoying a brew...

a close up..

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[khaki]

Hi Chris, I understand that these things are hard to find, that's why when you post photo's of them they are all the more appreciated. Where I am, these items are non-existant and photographs  with your description is invaluable. Thanks again
khaki

[tocemma]

Chris P, on 06 November 2011 - 05:04 PM, said:

TE;
I'd agree - never found anything concrete on the Tea & sugar tins either, just circumstantial. The one with your ration - Just a 'commercial' tin too then?

ChrisP

Chris,

I think we may be talking about two different items: this type

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apparently made from early part of the 20thC (same as my Dad's example) These are the ones passed off as military. The large oval tins shown with Lt Anthony's iron ration are the issue type. Normally only marked 'open this end' I have several of these, all associated with groups of items. All are identical.

Cheers

Tocemma

[Joe Sweeney]

TM,


Have you ever come across the grocery ration tin that came out late in the war?

It was described as having a hinged lid, but I've never seen one in the flesh or photos.


Your earlier grocery ration tin is one of three originals I've ever seen.

Joe Sweeney

[tocemma]

Joe Sweeney, on 06 November 2011 - 10:29 PM, said:

TM,


Have you ever come across the grocery ration tin that came out late in the war?

It was described as having a hinged lid, but I've never seen one in the flesh or photos.


Your earlier grocery ration tin is one of three originals I've ever seen.

Joe Sweeney

Joe,

I've never seen one of the later tins. The earlier type I have is only one of three I've seen. Odd really because they seem to duplicate the tea and sugar ration. The one I have has tea and sugar wraps, a small twist of salt, and two lozenge shaped Bovril tablets in it. Not sure what the 'grocery' bit is!

Non food related, but the really rare tin is 'Rifle Oil Non-Freezing' issued from early 1915. I've only ever seen the one in my collection, which curiously was inside the Mk1 Ration Case I have. Apparently general issue as the rifle oil bottle was insufficient for active service use. I'm sure someone out there has another.

Regards

Tocemma

[Grovetown]

tootrock, on 04 November 2011 - 03:00 PM, said:

How did the man in the trenches open his tin of Bully Beef?

With one of these even. Works very well - stab the centre of the can with the spike, move the sliding blade to the rim, lever that down into the can and then rotate around the spike.





Cheers,


GT.

[truthergw]

That is a very ingenius looking implement and I suspect it would have been used by cooks. As a camper of some years standing I can say that any tin can be opened with a knife. I used a sheath knife with a stout blade for years. No need for a tin opener.

[fv1620]

I've got a useful book that gives the specs & packaging of most food,drink,booze, floor polish, hay etc including Biscuits & Biscuits (Fancy). Here is the one for preserved meat. I can copy the sections of anything that is particularly elusive, but afraid I can't do the whole book.

Handbook of Specifications for Supplies WO 1915 53/Gen.No./5503

[munster]

I wonder why in the above spec was preferance given to tapered tins.Any Ideas or am i missing the obvious.john

[fv1620]

When open, assuming access is made from the larger end, with that facing downwards the contents will more readily plop out than from a rectangular or circular tin that has parallel sides. (I think plopping out will happen most readily if the tin is warmed a bit to melt the fat.)

[munster]

i have you now and with opening key tab at large end it should be foolproof.john

[uncle bill]

Hello
I hope this isn't off topic. Here are some photos of part of my Great War ration crate collection.

[uncle bill]

The whisky crate has Expeditionary Force Canteens markings

[uncle bill]

[uncle bill]

[uncle bill]

[uncle bill]

The ideal milk crate is visible in an Australian photo of brigade officers enjoying an al fresco lunch near Pozières in 1916.

[uncle bill]

[uncle bill]

Excuse the 'orrible feet !

[khaki]

Terrific box photographs, Uncle Bill, these and all the other great photographs of tins etc I would love to see on the thread "Militaria Displayed" as a collection reference, well done all.
best wishes
khaki

[Joe Sweeney]

tocemma, on 06 November 2011 - 11:21 PM, said:

Not sure what the 'grocery' bit is!

Regards

Tocemma

TM,

The Tin is sometimes referred to as the Grocery Tin (GRO 2429) although not an official nomenclature as far as I can tell.

It is meant for the Grocery portion of the Iron ration (Tea and Sugar).

Joe Sweeney

[Andrew Upton]

Chris P, on 06 November 2011 - 12:02 PM, said:

Whilst I'm here, & in the same vein, this ideal milk tin came to me with the '18 dated bully beef one. Both souvenirs from the 1919 Russian campaign.
Can't see why anyone would keep empty cans, but I'm glad they did...

Chris, can I ask for more information on the provenance of this tin, if it is dated or ?? I ask as I know of another one that is currently for sale at what seems a very reasonable price if it is correct for WW1...