Bull's Head Tin can Opener

Tonight's object is not actually military, however there is show to suggest information technology was used quite extensively by troops in a number of wars so I hope you volition discover it as interesting every bit I practice.

The development of canning in the early on 1820s was to revolutionise the delivery of rations to troops in the fields. Cans kept meat fresh and edible for long periods and although heavy they were relatively easy to transport. The only problem with early on canned foods was opening the tins themselves! Instructions on the labels invited the consumer to use a hammer and chisel, for soldiers bayonets were too likely implements to open the tinned goods! Tinned goods did not start becoming common on the civilian market until the 1860s and by this point can openers had been developed. The most common design for the next 60 years was fabricated of cast iron in the shape of a bull:imageThese were often painted red and the front of the opener includes a fasten and a bract forth with a stylised bull'due south head:imageThe back of the can opener had a bull'south tail:imageThis example is a civilian opener, but GR marked examples accept been seen. Although soldiers carried a tin opener on their jack knives, this larger tin opener would accept been much easier to use, especially on some of the large 7lb tins of dandy beefiness that were supplied to feet larger groups of men. Archaeological show has plant examples of these bull head can openers on American Civil War battlefields, Boer War battlefields and on the Western Front indicating they were indeed used. Here an example was institute in S Africa:

I found the caput and half the handle of ane in Mooi River(South Africa) whilst leveling sites for business firm construction. The site was camp to a sectionalization of the red coats during the Anglo Boer war 1899. The site was riddled with rifle cartridges, cavalry buckles, ink wells etc.

Tinned goods really came into their ain on the Western Front end in World War I and corned beef, normally known equally 'Nifty Beef' became synonymous with the British Tommy. Strict guidelines were issued to manufacturers to detail what should get into a tin:

The carcasses of cattle in prime number status not under two or over four years of age… Each 12oz. tin to comprise not more than than ½ oz., and each 24oz. tin non more than than 1oz., of clear jelly made from soup stock and soup bones.

Also as corned beef, men were issued tins of 'Machonochie'south stew', a somewhat dubious meat and vegetable stew tinned and sent out to the forepart. This was designed to be eaten hot and contained a large corporeality of animal fat, unfortunately in that location was seldom time to heat the tins so they had to be eaten common cold and this turned them into a greasy solid mass that was not popular. Tins could as well go off if not correctly canned, the all-time way to detect this was to puncture them with a bayonet- if the tin can hissed and then information technology was best to leave it well alone!

A private serving in the Center East recalls:

1 of the features of the night marches was the frightful stink. The Maconochie's stew ration gave the troops flatulence of a especially offensive nature. And then we marched along on air released by hundreds of men breaking air current.

There is nonetheless debate as to how widespread the utilize of the bulls head tin can opener was by World War One, however if not widespread there is certainly indication that some carried and used them and this example will be joining my other personal kit in my 08 pattern haversack._74383704_q1580_iwm_soldiers_eating