A WW1 J. Hudson & Co British officers trench whistle, dated 1915. In very good condition and full working order, complete with very rare original braided military lanyard.
J. Hudson & Co: the company was founded in Birmingham in the 1870s by Joseph Hudson. J Hudson & Co (later 'Acme Whistles') revolutionized communication by inventing the modern police whistle (1883) and the ‘Acme Thunderer' pea whistle (1884). Based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, the company grew from a small workshop into the world's largest manufacturer of whistles, creating iconic designs for the Police, sports referees, and the military. In 1883 Hudson won a competition to replace London Metropolitan Police hand rattles, creating the Metropolitan Police Whistle, a small, but very loud whistle that could be heard over a mile away. In 1884 Hudson introduced the ‘Acme Thunderer’, the first ‘pea’ whistle for sports referees. During the two World Wars Hudson manufactured vast numbers of whistles for the military, including the famous trench whistles used in WW1. The Hudson whistle was a vital tool on the battlefield - serving as an essential communication device for issuing commands or signaling troops amidst the deafening noise of warfare. It is now probably best known as the whistle that delivered the order to go ‘Over the Top’ in the trenches of the Somme and the other great battles of the First World War. The company also created other specialized military items, including the D-Day landing clicker.
Condition:
In very good condition, and full working order. The original lanyard is in very good condition.
Dimensions: 80mm (length)
