Ration Tin

Ration tin with rusty unpainted exterior, shiny silver interior

Tin opened with a turnkey, lid (b) is detached. Tin contains five "Charms" hard candies (c), five hardtack biscuits (d), one smaller tin (e) with a key (f), both silver in colour, and three cubes of sugar (g). There is a date stamp on the lid. If a date exists on the exterior of the tin, it is obscured by rust. The numbers '3' and '42' are embossed into the metal and signify March 1942.

During the building of the Alaska Highway the United States Army distributed B Unit rations to the soldiers in remote location. The B unit contained crackers, candy, coffee, and sugar. The main can and the smaller coffee can were both opened by a rolling a small key along the lid. The date on the coffee can is marked 'March 1942'. Indicating that they were in fact rations for the Second World War. William Griggs, an army engineer who worked on the Alaska Highway recalls the rations. “At the Cat camp we had to carry our lunch with us. The cooks never got to us. We mainly had WWI rations that come in a little tin can. We didn't have to worry about doing any dieting.” - quote from PBS special "Building of the Alaska Highway"