For sale four "flimsies" 2 Gal Petrol cans 1943

[Mike K]

Originally posted by Bob Moseley
As far as I am aware out here in Oz the 2 gallon can is considered to be a "Flimsy"
Bob

This is probably a case of misappropiation of a colloquial British term .

Did the WW2 Aussie diggers actually refer to the ubiquitious 2 gallon cans as flimsies ? Maybe this is an example of the sort of thing us silly vehicle restorers have made up in our heads , we think/imagine that they called the cans flimsies . The 2 gallon cans don't appear to be flimsy to me , they are rather sturdy and solid in appearance . What is flimsy about them ? The old 4 gallon square kero cans I remember as a kid , yes, thin and flimsy they were .

Mike