WWI British field officer's trench whistle. J. Hudson & Co. Birmingham - 1915!!

[Shangas]

Here's a war-vet you don't see every day...

Celebrating its 100th birthday this year is my newly-acquired WWI officer's trench whistle!

Manufactured by the famous Joseph Hudson Whistle Company, this nickel-plated brass whistle was given to me by a gentleman on the other side of the country, who wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate it

This whistle required a LOT of cleaning of its interior before it would blow properly! It now sounds exactly like it did in 1915, when...unfortunately...its chreeping sound sent men over the top...

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I should make it clear. This is a REAL WWI trench whistle. NOT a reproduction.

Yes, there is actually a company online which produces faithful reproduction whistles, which in every aspect look identical to the originals, in various levels of shininess or aged appearances.

According to this website (warwhistles.com or something, I think it's called), their whistles are designed in such a way as to make them distinguishable from antique whistles - although how isn't specified on their website. But they do say that their whistles are manufactured using the same antique whistle-making machines, to achieve near-identical results.

 

[filfoster]

As a collector/assembler of reproduction uniforms, I am glad to get a source for the whistles. Thanks!

 

[Shangas]

I've examined Warwhistles.com more closely, and I've figured it out, now.

Their whistles ARE faithful reproductions of WWI & WWII-era British service whistles. All the stampings and markings are identical to the originals, because the same company manufactures them, and uses the original, antique equipment to produce them.

Where they differ is in the cap-ring.

Modern whistles of this style have a 'D'-shaped ring. Antique whistles generally have an 'O'-shaped ring.

To prevent the reproductions being passed off as originals to unsuspecting buyers - the reprods. are manufactured as they were, but with modern cap-rings, to prevent fraud. But they're otherwise, identical.

It's a VERY subtle change. Unless you collect these things, you'd probably never notice. But it's a nifty trick

 

[filfoster]

That's in the spirit of the best kind of 'new for old' reproduction. Most of us just want a very good copy, and some tell-tale detail of difference is fine, because we're not trying to commit fraud! We just want a faithful display or impression.

 

[backpacker416]

Very cool and thanks for posting! I just ordered myself one. Never thought I'd be so excited to get a whistle. Lol