Jerrycan (or Jerrican, or Jerry Can)—“an embarrassingly brilliant design”
Bibliography with Notes plus Bonus Content
Hanson, Jonathan. Irreducible imperfection: The flimsy. ExploringOverland.com https://www.exploringoverland.com/overland-tech-travel/2012/8/17/irreducible-imperfection-the-flimsy.html
“Fortunately, an alternative presented itself when the retreating German Army began abandoning its own 20-liter containers. These were of embarrassingly brilliant design—perimeter-welded of stout steel for strength, with a three-handle configuration that allowed one man to carry two empty cans with one hand (or two full cans if he was strong), and which facilitated effortless hand-off of full cans down a line of men. The leak-proof cap was secured with a fast and foolproof lever, a breather allowed fast pouring, and a clever air trap at the top meant that a full can of petrol would float in water. The British scrounged all the “jerry cans” they could, and in England the design was unashamedly copied to the last detail—two million of them would be sent to North Africa before the end of the campaign. (The U.S. copied the design as well, but substituted cost-saving—and inferior—rolled seams and a screw top that was difficult to seal.)”
Bonus Illustrations
WWII in North Africa 