The 5 man ration tin was issued to men serving in AFVs and other vehicles. In these circumstances weight was not a problem, but rations needed to be well protected to prevent them getting damaged by the lurching of the vehicle or being knocked around by the crew. A sturdy metal tin was the answer, one that could be strapped to the inside of the vehicle to prevent it moving in transit. Today we are looking at a metal tin used in the early post war period for a five man AFV crew:

The lid of the ration box is secured by a leather strap which is secured to the two halves of the tin through metal loops, ensuring that the components do not get separated. A large metal buckle on the front of the tin allows the box to be opened easily when it is time for a meal:

The box is painted in the post war bronze green colour and is marked with white lettering indicating that it is a No3 ration box and the contents will feed 5 men for one day:

The tin itself is stamped with its date of manufacture, here 1953: