Excellent article!
Excellent article!
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Here is another maker that has been a mystery to me until recently. M.M.S. made cutting-edge aluminum water bottles for the British Army in 1939, which were quickly abandoned for the standard enameled Mk VII due to wartime economy. With the introduction of 1944 Pattern web equipment at the end of the war, the firm made vast quantities of aluminum mess tins, water bottles and cups.
*From Karkee Web
Maker Mark: M.M.S.
Company Name: Midland Metal Spinning Company, Limited - Tower Works
Location: Wolverhampton
Dates Observed: 1939 & 1945
Notes: The advertisement is from 1938.
Guide to Canadian-made Aluminum Mess Tins
Maker Mark: A.G. LTD. - WEAR-EVER
Company Name: Aluminum Goods, Limited
Location: Toronto, Ontario
“MADE IN CANADA” Stamp: YES
Canadian Broad Arrow: YES
Location of Maker Mark: Above the handle attachment.
Maker Mark: CCB
Company Name: Coulter Copper & Brass Company, Limited
Location: Toronto, Ontario
“MADE IN CANADA” Stamp: NO
Canadian Broad Arrow: NO
Location of Maker Mark: Above the handle attachment.
Notes: The additional picture shows factory of the forerunner of CCB, Coulter & Campbell, in the late nineteenth century.
Maker Mark: G.A. L’HOIR
Company Name: Georges-Armand L’Hoir
Location: Lévis, Quebec
“MADE IN CANADA” Stamp: NO
Canadian Broad Arrow: YES
Location of Maker Mark: Front of the mess tin.
Notes: The additional pictures show the ruins of the factory built by the Belgian businessman Georges-Armand L’Hoir in 1939 on the shore of the St. Lawrence River. Sadly, it was demolished in 2007.
Maker Mark: G.S.W.
Company Name: General Steel Wares, Limited
Location: Toronto, Ontario
“MADE IN CANADA” Stamp: YES
Canadian Broad Arrow: ???
Location of Maker Mark: Above the handle attachment.
Notes: The advertisement is from The Montreal Gazette - Nov 24, 1934. The additional picture shows the factory of one of GSW's progenitor firms.
Maker Mark: W.D.S. & CO. - DURO ALUMINUM
Company Name: W.D. Shambrook & Company – Duro Aluminum, Limited
Location: Hamilton, Ontario
“MADE IN CANADA” Stamp: YES
Canadian Broad Arrow: YES
Location of Maker Mark: Bottom of the mess tin.
Notes: The article is from a 1921 copy of The American Machinist, which describes W.D. Shambrook taking over Duro Aluminum, Limited.
Great work!!
I have a mess kit "MMS" and I could not identify it, finally I know it now.
Congrats
Roberto
What a great thread on these bits of equipment that are so often overlooked. I bet for the individual soldier these mess tins were one of their most valuable items of kit. That and the tea mug.
I can only imagine how much work went into gathering these examples and researching the makers. Thanks for sharing.
Matthew
Since Karkee has mentioned MMS I thought I'd add the (1944 pattern?) "AF" Jungle coded mess tins. Handles are different to the standard AA coded kit, but otherwise they are identical.
How rare exactly is a 1938 dated mess kit with riveted handle (NCJ)?
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