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Hello Yuri.
In the first world war British troops, or "Tommys", named the German soldiers "Jerry" or "Jerrys". This was because to the "tommys", the German helmets looked a little like chamber pots or jerrys!
In those days few houses had inside toilets so most people would have used a jerry at one time or another. How it got its name,I know not.
In the second world war, Germans of all types were called "Jerry" or "Jerrys",including the Luftwaffe,"I hope Jerry does'nt come over again tonight".
When "Jerry" was forced to retreat at El Alamein, they abandoned vast quantities of empty petrol tins or cans. The advancing British troops found these cans and saw that they were very much superior to the British petrol tins of the time, that were easily dented and split. These captured German "tins" were pressed into service and became "JERRY CANS" and have been so called and much copyed ever since.
The German commander was Erwin Rommel, an enormously able senior officer, and his defeat was no small matter.
Rommel was seriously hamperd by lack of fuel for his Panzers, In fact it was a very critical issue. I have heard it said that to the otherwise Meticulous German military mind empty fuel tins had no use to an enemy! so they were left undamaged! That omission has been of benefit to us all ever since.
The use of Rommel's name for the can proves the age old rule that we are remembered longer for our errors than our virtues.
If you had little idea about all of this then my play on words would be meaningless, for that I apoligize.
I don't realy have a genuine "Western Desert Jerry can" I invented the story to show the limitations of public transport, when under pressure.
I do have six modern steel jerry cans, they are unrivaled, though made in china.
Very best regards Howard.
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