Jerrycan RTMP

[Chuck Lutz]

I have kept a spreadsheet on cans/mfgers/dates and see that at least one surfaced in 1943 and 1944. Not to say that others were not produced in other WWII years, but I only noted those two years based mostly on what the gee or ebay came up with. Do you guys have other years for the RTMP jerrycans?

[bombtech]

Chuck,
My data base entry for RTMP shows: 1943,44,45. I have photos of 43 and 45. I think the 44 was mentioned on G503, some years back.
Cheers,

[YLG80]

If you have a word with Yves (YLG80) he may be able to get a copy up and running you can watch like he did for the Magnatex video.
The 1937 video is mainly from outside showing building work and not showing anything of use.
I am keeping my eyes open !

Hi Silly's MB,

Thanks for the information.
I have sent Yves a PM about this.

Here is the downloaded MP4 video of the 3 minutes video (56Mb)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8olacj40xxsio ... r.zip?dl=0
The 21 minutes video (300Mb) is still in upload in the dropbox
I will post the link soon.
Yves

[YLG80]

Second video:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zuifajc68g16w ... i.zip?dl=0

[Klaas]

Thanks, Yves!!

[AdrianRJ]

Two I have here with me in Normandy

[Phil Reynolds]

Hi all. My Mum recently passed away aged 92, and while writing the eulogy for her funeral I recalled her talking about the end of WW2 when she worked in a factory in Swansea making jerrycans for a company called RTMP. I remember her also referring to the company by the name Richard Thomas but I wasn't sure what the full abbreviation stood for. I discovered this thread while searching for more info, and was intrigued to find that there is some debate over this topic. I can confirm that there was definitely a Welsh (not Canadian) company called RTMP, in Swansea (South Wales, UK) making jerrycans at that time. Hope this info is helpful.

I've attached a couple of photos from one of Mum's early albums showing some of the staff at the factory (there are several other photos but these are the only two that show staff with the cans). The album page is captioned: "STAFF OF C.I.E.M.E., R.T.M.P. - TAKEN AUGUST 1945". CIEME stood for Chief Inspector, Electrical and Mechanical Equipment and was a department of the Ministry of Supply, which was responsible for the provision and inspection of all stores and equipment for the British Army in WW2. (An amusing note in a document of 1947 records that "The title of the Inspectorate was itself a misnomer, as a great volume of the work inspected was not electrical or mechanical. I was once told by a high official in the Ministry of Supply that 'Dustbin' would be a better name. This was after 'Jerricans', foodpacks, insecticide sprayers, prefabricated bituminous surfacing (for covering the surfaces of aerodromes) had been added.")

My Mum, who at the time was known as Babs Thomas, is in the right-hand photo, seated on the far right.

Thank you for letting me share this information which I hope is of interest.

[AdrianRJ]

Thank you very much for this .. I think it confirms very nicely that RT never stood for Rio Tinto at that time.

[gerrykan]

Phil,
Thank you very much for your time and effort to post this information.
It is much appreciated.

[Klaas]

Thanks Phil, for posting this.
Sorry to hear about your mothers passing away, but your post confirms what I and others have thought about Richard Thomas Metal Products of Swansea and the jerrycans marked RTMP.

[REG]

Phil, that is fantastic information. It's so rare to get first hand accounts from our parents' generation (my mum passed away last year, a similar age).

Your photo and descriptive text will be saved as reference for all.

[sturgis]

This is my research on the RTB CP&F cans. I take an educated guess that there is a direct link between these and the wartime ones marked RTMP.
I have found a compelling film which shows all;

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/wat ... zA0KU--FMg
Start watching at 12:02 mins

CP&F stands for Cwmfelin Press & Fab (fabrication), an area of Swansea (the works is on a map attached). RTB owned many subsidiary companies and employed over 27000 people, mostly accross South Wales.
For those who may not be able to watch the film. It states during the sequence that " During the war, we at RTB made 2 million jerry cans".. RTB were not formed till 1947 (the joining of Richard Thomas & co. and Baldwins Ltd.), so they are referring in the film to the previous incarnation of the company which was Richard Thomas & Co. (RTMP). If the 2 million cans Richard Thomas & Co. made during the war were not marked RTMP then how were they marked ??

If you are on facebook, go to the link where I have the photos and evidence https://www.facebook.com/groups/JerryCanForum/

Richard