A rare to regiment late Victorian campaign and sporting medals group of 5 to the Captain of the Regimental Team & Durand Cup Winners in India - the oldest Football Association Cup in Asia: Private William Greensall, 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry

- IGS 1895-1902. 'Punjab Frontier 97-98' & 'Tirah 97-98 (3057 Pte. W. Greensall, 1st Bn. Som. Lt. Infy.)
- QSA 1899-1902. 5 x clasps 'CC', 'TH', 'OFS', 'ROL' & 'Trans (3057 Pte. W. Greensall, Somerset Lt. Infy.)
- King’s South Africa Medal 1901-02. With 2 x dated clasps (3057 Pte. W. Greensall. Somerset L.I.)
- Murree Brewery Football Cup. Silver. Inscribed on reverse Murree Brewery Football Cup, Winner 1898
- Murree Brewery Football Cup. Silver. Inscribed rev Murree Brewery Football Cup, Runners-Up, 1897

The IGS 1895 with single official correction to forename initial 'W', and the QSA with official correction to last 4 x letters of surname, and both exactly as issued

The 'Runner's Up' Murree Brewery Cup Medal with snapped claw / clip suspension

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb

Important: A highly distinguished regimental footballer, Greensall was Captain of the all conquering 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry regimental football team - of which he was 'Captain' and striking the winning goal in the Murree Brewery Cup Final of 1898 - having the previous year (1897) been a member of the 'Runners-Up' Murree Brewery Cup Final. Prior to that in 1896 William was a star player of the 'Light Bob's' regimental team that won the Duran Cup (beating the Black Watch). The Duran Cup being the oldest national footballing association cup in Asia, and still being played annually to sell-out crowds in India - the annual cup final being the highlight of the Indian Football Association season. 

'The Murree Brewery - is the oldest and now since 2021, one of only two licensed breweries and distilleries in Pakistan

The Murree Brewery Cup was first contested in 1896, when it was won by the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; in 1897 the trophy was won by the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders (who beat 'The Light Bobs' team including William Greensall in that year, while the final in 1898 was contested by 2nd Battalion Royal Scot and the 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry, the latter being the winners and another footballing trophy to the Durand Cup that they had earlier won in 1896 

Rare to regiment clasp: The 'Tirah 1897-98' clasp is extremely rare to the 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry - and only an estimated 17 x 'Tirah 1897-98' clasps issued to men of the battalion who served on attachment / secondment away from their parent battalion during the Tirah, North West Frontier campaigns of 1897-1898

Medals & Clasps Verification: All 5 x medals confirmed as entitled per below following medals rolls and published sources

- IGS Service 1895-1902. Silver & 2 x clasps 'Punjab Frontier 1897-98' & 'Tirah 1897-98: WO 100/86. For attached service 'Brigade Signaller'
- QSA 1899-1902. Silver & clasps 'Cape Colony', 'Tugela Heights', 'Orange Free State', 'Relief of Ladysmith' 'Transvaal': WO 100/175
- King’s South Africa Medal 1901-02. With both dated 'South Africa' clasps: WO 100/323
- Murree Brewery Football Cup. Winner 1898: See 'Civil & Military Gazette' 2 June 1898 for a tournament / match report, Cpl. Greensall named as Captain
- Murree Brewery Football Cup. Runners-Up, 1897: See 'Civil & Military Gazette' 1 June 1897 for a tournament / match report (team lists not provided)

The Murree Brewery Medals, with engraved depictions of the Murree Cup on obverse, are silver (not hall-marked), and each is of 34mm dimension. Both retain their original fitted tricolour silk ribands & fittings

Durand Cup Winners Medal: The recipients important 'Durand Cup' winners medal is known to be extant, having been listed for sale at the saleroom of London Auction House Dix Noonan Wood, on 15 March 2011 as Lot 1631 with the following illustrated catalogue description: India, Durand Football Challenge Prize, a silver award medal, unsigned, view of buildings, trees and hills in background, rev. legend around wreath, named (1 The P.A. Som. L.I. No. 3057 Pte. Greensall, 1896), 57mm (Pudd. 1987 970.12). Cleaned in the past, otherwise extremely fine and very rare; in maroon fitted case (this partially warped)

The British sporting legacy, courtesy of generations of service by the British Army in India, morphed into formal regional and national sporting associations throughout the sub-continent, many of which still flourish in 2025, as evinced by the annual Durand Cup competition run by the Indian Football Association

William Greensall was a native of the parish of Aston, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, where he was born circa 1872. By trade a 'Wire Drawer' he was 18 years & 2 months of age, when he enlisted in the British Army, at, Birmingham, England, on 5 January 1891, on which date he was posted to the Somerset Light Infantry and given the regimental number number '3057'. He was sent to the Regimental Depot for basic training, after which he was posted to the 1at Battalion Somerset Light Infantry on, 19 May 1891. By the time William took his final discharge from the British Army on 4 January 1903, he had accumulated 12 years service towards pension. William's service papers show that most of his army career was spent overseas including periods of active campaign service on the North West Frontier of India 1897-98, and later during the South African War. William record of service with the British Army is summarised below:

- Home: 05/01/1891 - 08/11/1891 (308 Days)
- Gibraltar: 09/11/1891 - 18/12/1893 (2 Years 40 Days)
- East Indies: 19/12/1891 - 28/12/1898 (5 Years 10 Days)
- Home: 29/12/1898 - 03/11/1899 (310 Days)
- South Africa: 04/11/1899 - 13/03/1902 (2 Years 130 Days)
- Home: 14/03/1902 - 04/01/190 (297 Days)

The recipients British Army service papers - an excellent set - are extant and accessible at The National Archives

A most desirable British India medal group containing both rare to regiment and scarce seen medals reflecting sporting prowess in India during the late Victorian era

Note: The Murree Brewery Cup 'Runners Up' Medal 1897, only, with snapped suspension claw (a/f - one side of the claw snapped/lost) 

Condition: Mostly GVF

Code: 25493