This mess tin belonged to MELIA JAMES HENRY : Service Number - VX18960 : Date of birth - 08 Oct 1900 : Place of birth - WARRINGTON ENGLAND : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - CHURTON MARGARET The mess tin was manufactured by Sellman & Hill (S&H) Ltd from Wolverhampton. British aluminum mess tins were used by most of the Empire early in the war. A new pattern of mess tin was developed for the Web Equipment 1937 Pattern, which was a nested, two-piece rectangular mess tin with long, folding handles. Mess tins were used to prepare or heat food but they were also used as a container from which to eat and drink. The tins were lightweight and sturdy but they became hot very quickly when heated. Mess kit consisting of two pieces: One rectangular aluminium mess tin from WWII with multiple hand-carved inscriptions on outside indicating owner and locations he was stationed in 1940 and 1941. Welded handle attachment, although handle itself is missing. There is also a small, flat bottomed aluminium cup.Multiple hand-carved inscriptions on three external sides of the mess tin: Side one: "1940 Palestine / Egypt / VX18960 / Dvr Melia. J / AASC / 1941 Libya" Side two: " BARDIA / GREECE / TOBRUK" Side three: " Gaza / Beit Jerga / Kfar Vitkin / jaff / TEL-AVIV / Jerusalem / Nazareth / Haifa" Manufacturer's hallmark stamped on side four: "S.&H. LTD / 1938" and below that a stamp of an arrow pointing upmess tin, aluminium mess tin, wwii, wwii mess tin, sellman & hill, british mess tin