ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Manufacturers, production numbers, configurations, etc.
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ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Silly's MB » Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:09 pm

Here is a few facts and figures on the quantities of Jerrycans produced on the continent late 1944 into 1945 including mention of the aluminium cans.

The first clip should read production started on 30th October 1944 it just missing 1 line from the previous page.
French Belgium Jerrycans3.jpg
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French Belgium Jerrycans5.jpg
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Last edited by Silly's MB on Thu Dec 01, 2016 1:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Silly's MB » Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:14 pm

These 2 pages go side by side but I have left them large so you can read them.
French Belgium Jerrycans.jpg
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French Belgium Jerrycans2.jpg
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The known aluminium cans are shown in this thread
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=220264

I found a document which mentions 51 manufacturers were going to make these Jerry-cans.
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Silly's MB » Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:34 pm

I picked up an SEA aluminium can yesterday. The fact that this can is made to the US spec and not the normal SEA spec as shown on other 1945 steel SEA cans with the flip spout makes me think they were produced at the end of, or during the US contract. The US G marked cans or these SEA cans are not dated.
Sea Can view.jpg
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Sea can.jpg
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It has an inspection mark on the side.
SEA can mark.jpg
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A bit of SEA History just for knowledge.
During the occupation of the free zone, and after the dissolution of the army of the armistice (on November 29, 1942), the SEA was transferred to Paris under the name of "Service des essences de l 'armee As a Foreign Service of the Directorate of Fuels.

Moreover, in North Africa, after the Tunisian campaign, the group of gasoline supplies from North Africa was transformed in January 1943 into "Directorate General of the SEA" attached to the Department of War. Three regional offices were created in parallel: Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. In anticipation of future operations, besides procurement, the major problem of the new Directorate General of the SEA was to constitute "essences" units to support the French Expeditionary Force. It was necessary to define the logistic system to be used, to find the necessary human resources and to train in a very short time educated and coherent units.
The first units created from the 26th and 27th Regiments of the Train were responsible for the operation of the depots. Then, between July 1943 and April 1944, nine other units were set up: four gasoline refueling companies (CREs) destined for product transport, four refueling and gasoline companies (CREE) which, in addition Of the transportation function, were able to manage and operate large depots, a fuel distribution company whose mission was also to build and operate oil and gas pipelines and field reservoirs. These units participated in the campaigns of Italy, France, and Germany, and the operations of Corsica and the island of Elba. During the French campaign, the merger of the Department of Metropolitan Essences and the General Management from Algiers took place very quickly under the authority of the Chief Engineer Vieux, assisted by Commissioner R. Labbe, Concentrate efforts to support the forces involved. Whether during the operation Dragoon on the coasts of Provence, in which the first elements of the SEA participated, during the ascent of the Rhone corridor, during the break of Belfort, for the defense of Strasbourg or during the campaign of Germany , The task of the Department of Species was tough, given the daily tonnage to be distributed (800 tonnes) and the complexity of transport. This is what General de Lattre de Tassigny has recognized in an agenda dated 16 June 1945.
The reunification of the service was consecrated by order of 17 March 1945, whose face can be summarized as follows : It is a common military service in charge of supplying all the military forces of the country. It is also a technical service capable of advising the command in the oil field, and who receives, stores, transports and distributes the petroleum products needed by the armed forces. Finally, it is an industrial service with a concern for cost effectiveness. For the sake of economy, its organization was conceived in a concentrated way. It has only three territorial directorates, one in the North, the other in the South and the third in North Africa.
http://www.defense.gouv.fr/essences/ori ... -1942-1945
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by gerrykan » Thu Dec 01, 2016 1:23 pm

Thanks for adding some more pieces to the jerrycan production puzzle.
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Léon » Mon Dec 05, 2016 10:47 am

Hello

Thank you very much for publishing these very interesting documents on production in France and Belgium in 44/45
Currently the various Jerrycan that have come down to us, are essentially models made in Belgium for the US Army
In France for the English Army
Do you have a list of these manufacturers, you write you have found about 51 factories?
I make some research about the diffrent manufacturers

The models made in Belgium are of the German model with the rectangle center on the 2 sides, but stamped marks are American

Here are the manufacturers that I found and observed on different copies or on photos of collectors:

Belgium for USA :

- Manufacturers 1945 :
- AAA : ?
- ACEC : Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi (Belgique)
- BTMC : Bell Telephone MFG Company à Anvers (Belgique)
- FN : Fabrique Nationale Herstal (Belgique)
- PW : ?

France for British Army :

-Manufacturers 1945 :
- AMS : ?
- LU : Ets Luchaire à Messei dans l'Orne (France)
- Usines Renault (losange)
- SUC : Société des Usines Chausson (France)

For the French Army 1945 :

- ES ou Etablissements SCHMID, (exemplaires galvanisés seulement en 1945) puis reprise de la production dans les années 50
- JB ? en 1946
- BW ?
- LU ou Luchaire SA à Messei Orne. Reprise par Faurecia
- LE ?
- BN : ? sur modèle "AIR"
- SUC ou Société des Usines Chausson (observé également sur modèles anglais)
- BFC ?
- FMG ou Fûts Métalliques Gallay
- RB ou R Behin à Gennevilliers

Concerning the aluminum Jerrycan the lack of date complicates the identification
They were used a short time ago in parachute troops in France
Indeed there are 2 different models
One with a "G" for gasoline
Another with the French marking "SEA"
According to the document we are in 1945 for a manufacture end of war
It would be necessary to carry out research in France with the historical services of the armies in order to be certain of finding the contracts

Thank you very much for all this information

Best regards from Paris :D
Approximate English possible error sorry !

Hotchkiss-Willys m 201 1960
Jerrycans German, USA, UK, French ...

Web site in french : http://philippeleger5.wix.com/jerrycan-

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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Silly's MB » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:14 pm

Hi Leon,
Despite much searching I cannot find anything which suggests which manufacturers were to be used or how many manufacturers were actually used. The "51 companies" is only a passing comment in the early discussion and when you consider how many cans were actually made in France before the contracts were cancelled it may of only been a handful.
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Léon » Fri Dec 09, 2016 10:28 pm

Hello Silly's MB,

Thank you for your quick answer
I agree that there are few companies in Belgium and France
Many small French factories produce Jerrycan in 1945
Some factories installed a production line but subsequently dismantled because the military commands were stopped
For example the Ets Ducelier (automobile electricity) who created a chain of production never use

Best regards from Paris :D
Approximate English possible error sorry !

Hotchkiss-Willys m 201 1960
Jerrycans German, USA, UK, French ...

Web site in french : http://philippeleger5.wix.com/jerrycan-

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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Silly's MB » Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:49 am

I have just picked up this early 1945 French SEA can. It has the wide mouth with the external burp tube. Galvanised and in excellent condition. The manufacturer is JB and an oval cartouche has been soldered over the SEA.

I am intrigued to know what the circular pressing is for?
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Klaas » Wed Aug 07, 2019 3:43 am

Hi Roger,

I have a similar galvanised can, but small mouth like standard British / German fuel jerrycan.
Made by AUBRY in Paris, no date.
Also has the circular pressing.
Can it be a place to screw in a tap or drain connection? Perhaps you can see in yours if that spot is thicker than the rest of the sheet metal. Very difficult to see inside the small mouth on mine.
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Silly's MB » Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:42 pm

Hi Klaas, I cannot see inside my can to see either but I was thinking along the same lines as you about fitting a tap or a valve but I would of thought that their were enough flat areas to be able to mount one anyway.

Good to see pictures of your can too!
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by rjbeamer » Wed Aug 07, 2019 3:16 pm

Look close at that circular raised area. My guess is that it is a soldered on round cap or disk.

When ever i have had anything Galvanized they have required that there be an unobstructed air hole and or a place that would allow all of the molten Zink to exit the inner area. They would just solder a cap over the hole in this case.

If you look at the pour spout area it protrudes into the can area and would prevent the extra molten Zink from draining completely.

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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by gerrykan » Wed Aug 07, 2019 5:01 pm

Roger(rjbeamer) is correct.
You will also find this feature on 1941 USA galvanized cans.
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Klaas » Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:40 pm

Yes, the drain point for the zinc is very plausible. Never thought of that....
The disc is indeed soldered in place, but I thought the reason was that that disc is perhaps thicker to facilitate thread-tapping for a drain or tap.
On the other hand, my 1943 RTMP (yes, Richard Thomas metal Products of Swansea, Wales) is galvanised and does not have a separate drain point.
On risk of starting another war between Britain and France, can I state that the Brits were more clever than the French in getting the surplus zinc out?
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by gerrykan » Thu Aug 08, 2019 4:34 pm

Klaas wrote:
Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:40 pm
On risk of starting another war between Britain and France, can I state that the Brits were more clever than the French in getting the surplus zinc out?
Klaas,
If the combination of your statement and Brexit should instigate a conflict, I will be sure to give you full credit among my friends, so that you may earn a spot in history! :lol:
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Re: ww2 French Belgian US contract Jerrycans

Post by Silly's MB » Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:39 am

Thanks for the answers guys, i think you may be correct with the need for a drainage hole although because it is recessed it has quite a lip thus making it difficult to drain fully.

It doesn't seem capable of screwing a thread for a tap into it although with a backnut it would be possible although you could do that just by drilling a hole if required.

I have managed to get a good picture of the inside with some light.
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