General Service torpedo siren whistle: Sergeant Henry Kagan Kahan, 28 Battalion AIF

Cast nickle-plated brass siren whistle of torpedo shape, consisting of a domed tube, the domed end pierced with four equal triangular cut-outs. A cast mouthpiece is soldered to the other end. Mounted internally at the join of the tube and mouthpiece are a pair of steel rotors, one fixed, the other able to rotate on an axle. There are a series of five rectangular cut outs in each rotor, in a star shape. The passage of air through the mouthpiece rotates the moveable rotor, with the rapid blocking and opening of the cut-outs producing a low, rising siren sound. Fitted with an integral suspension loop. There are no markings at all on the whistle.

Whistle used by Henry Kagan 'Harry' Kahan, born Perth, Western Australia, an unmarried clerk who enlisted at Blackboy Hill, Perth on 19 May 1915 aged 18 years nine months. Kahan stated he had previous experience as a surveyor with 35 Field Company (Fremantle Engineers). He was assigned service number 1146 and mustered to C Company, 28 Battalion, later transferring to B Company. The battalion had been formed a month previously and barely had time for some basic training at Rockingham before embarking from Fremantle on 9 June aboard the transport 'Ascanius' for Egypt, arriving at Cairo on July 2.

The battalion was quartered at 'The Citadel' in Cairo until 30 August when it marched out to Heliopolis and embarked from Alexandria for Gallipoli aboard the transport 'Ivernia' on 4 September, landing there on 10 September. Here, they spent much of their time at The Apex; in October they were moved to Lower Cheshire Ridge and were holding Russell's Top when they were evacuated on 11/12 December.

After the evacuation and further training in Egypt, 28 Battalion crossed to France on 16 March 1916. It took part in its first major battle at Pozières in France between 28 July and 6 August 1916. After a spell in a quieter sector of the front the battalion returned to the south in October, where it took part in the costly fighting to the east of Flers, in the Somme Valley.

Kahan was promoted to Lance Corporal on 25 November, when the battalion was in the Marmetz area. He was promoted to Corporal on 25 June 1917 as the battalion was training in the Varennes region in the aftermath of their involvement in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, where they provided reinforcements for the heavy fighting. Kahan took leave to England in July 1917 and was subsequently hospitalised from 31 July to 6 September, rejoining his unit on 15 September in Belgium. The battalion fought in the Battle of Menin Road on 20-21 September, where they captured their objectives in seven minutes. They were in reserve during the capture of Broodseinde Ridge later in the month and initially in reserve for the battle of Poelcappelle on 9 October, but, with the attack floundering in the increasingly wet conditions, it soon became embroiled in the main assault. Soon after being withdrawn, Corporal Kahan took 10 days leave in Paris.

In 1918 the battalion took part in the defence of Amiens, helping to halt the German March Offensive. It later participated in aggressive patrol tactics in July 1918 which captured broad sections of the German front line in front of Villers-Bretonneux, in the preparation for the assault on Hamel. In early July Kahan had another short period of leave in Paris where he met his sister, Douska (see AWM image P03144.002).

On 17 July 1918 Kahan was detached to Australian Flying Corps and crossed to England where he reported to Administration Headquarters in London, returning to his unit on 11 August as they were holding a line between Framerville and Vauvillers, as part of the August Offensive. On 15 September Kahan was 'detached for duty to Australian Section, 3rd Echelon GHQ, BEF' to B Subsection (2nd Division) Australian Base Records Section. He was promoted to Sergeant on 7 October. Kahan did not return to his unit until 6 January 1919. He embarked for return to Australia on 28 February from Devonport, aboard the transport 'Anchises', arriving at Albany on 7 April. Kahan spent many years preparing 28 Battalion's Official History, 'The 28th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force : a record of war service', finally publishing it in 1968.

His sister, Douska Kahan, of New York, NY (but born in Sale, Victoria), served between February 1918 and March 1919 with the American National Red Cross at the Tuberculosis Bureau in Paris, France.