Football featured strongly in the Regiment, as did most sports. Each company would have its own team and inter – company games were played regularly. Unfortunately, most of these photographs are unnamed.
Football team X coy sadly unnamed except for… standing 2ndRight Sgt Stanley Franklin, front row left, L/Cpl Albert Titley
It looks very likely that this is the first presentation of the ‘Duke of Portland Cup’ Won by 6KSLI after competing in a football tournament with all the other units within the division. Afterwards it became the Battalion sports trophy and went to war with 181 field Regiment under the care of Captain Prutton 179 Bty, where it took pride of place in the Officers Mess. Seated Lt.Col. RBS Munn, on his left Capt Maurice, second left, standing, Lt Raitz. C. 1940.
At the centre of this group is Captain (probably a Lieutenant then) Dudley Shaw holding the ‘Portland Cup’ which figures strongly in the history of 6KSLI. The cup was awarded to 6 KSLI after a football match against an RAF team that featured more than one ex-England player, although, 6 KSLI were represented by at least four professional players. . The cup was won in 1940 and I would guess that this photograph was taken soon after the game, before the Battalion became a Field Regiment R.A.. The cup went on to become something of a Regimental mascot, and accompanied 181 field regiment through war, having sustained a few dents along the way. The cup is now held at the Light Infantry Museum.
NEWSAPER CLIPPINGS
Bill Tudor, all round sportsman
THE DUKE OF PORTLAND CUP
The Portland Cup was presented to North Midland Division originally as a football trophy and won by the 6th Battalion KSLI,
Football biographies
Guns and Bugles 