World War I "Billy" Tin with lid The billy tin, billy can or plain billy, is a metal cooking pot with a lid and wire handle used on the campfire, especially for making tea. Contrary to one popularly held belief, the name has nothing to do with the Aboriginal word ‘billabong’ (waterhole). Rather, it is believed, it comes from the Scottish term ‘billy-pot’, meaning cooking utensil. During the First World War, the humble billy tin took on added significance. At Christmas 1915, thousands of Australian troops received a billy tin full of ‘comforts’ from back home.