Admin Office where I worked
Jerrican Factory with half jerrican kerbs
The Jerrican Factory Sign
ENG. BASE GROUP 1954-55
JERRYCAN FACTORY, FAYID
As Remembered By Peter Armstrong
It was determined that I was to work in the Admin. Office at the Jerrican Factory, a couple of mile northwards along the Treaty Road towards Fayid. Chief Clerk was Cpl Ken Martin, OC was Major Dowling and his 2 i/c was Captain Burton. I scarcely knew what a Jerrican was at that point in time, but their manufacure was to dominate my life for the next 15 months.
Admin Office where I worked
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Jerrican Factory with half jerrican kerbs |
The Jerrican Factory Sign |
Some 300,000 of the four and a half gallon jerricans were manufactured and others repaired each year. The main physical work was carried out by the East African troops and local labour, supervised by some 30 Royal Engineers. From memory, the total labour force numbered about 200. The Jerrican Factory occupied a site of approx. 3 acres. Production and repair shops were contained in a 5 span steel frame, asbestos clad low Marsden Shed, 225ft wide in 16 bays to a total depth of 192ft. On site also were the Guardroom, garages, offices, pickling plant and pump house, whilst a 'caretaker' staff, including myself, lived in a row of four, 4-man tents well away from the factory. We had to travel back and forth to Engineer Base Depot for meals, NAAFI and regimental duties. On-site facilities were basic - a small brick shed with a water tank on the roof for ablutions along with the usual deep trench latrine. The noise within the Factory from the guillotines, 100 and 200 ton body pressess, welding units, painting booths, drying oven and chain and roller conveyors was overwhelming, as was the temperature in summer. I was glad to be in the relative comfort of the office.
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Jerrican Factory Personnel - January 1954
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The working day was 07:00 - 14:00hrs Monday to Friday and 07:00-12:00hrs Saturdays, plus overnight guard duties every third night. I was amazed how cold the nights were and so after guard parade, standard dress was full battledress, overcoats, balaclava and, if in the watch tower, a couple of blankets also to try to keep warm. Refreshments took the form of a continuous brew. No teapot, just a kettle and when it boiled, tea was added. All through the night more water and more tea was added so that by morning the kettle was virtually full of tea leaves. Adding evaporated milk didn't really improve the flavour!
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Hippodrome Cinema |
Majestic Cinema |
Olympia Swimming Pool |
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NAAFI Emporium |
Egyptian shop with 'mummy' inside |
St Martin's-in-the-Sand Church |
Boredom was relieved by doing some babysitting for the OC who lived in Married Quarters at Fayid. Other relaxation centred around two nearby cinemas, the Hippodrome and the Majestic, the Old Vic Lido near Fayid, and the grandly named Olympia swimming pool near Fayid and the NAAFI Emporium and the other locally owned shops. The Egyptian General Neguib closed the local shops for a time during my stay. Most Sundays I was able to attend either the St. Martins-in-the-Sand Anglican Church or St. Marks Methodist Church, both nearby
