The 15ct. gold 1911 F A Cup winner's medal won by Robert Torrance of Bradford City, inscribed 1911, CHALLENGE CUP, WINNERS, BRADFORD CITY, R.TORRANCE

The 15ct. gold 1911 F A Cup winner's medal won by Robert Torrance of Bradford City, inscribed 1911, CHALLENGE CUP, WINNERS, BRADFORD CITY, R.TORRANCE Bradford City won their first and to date only F.A. Cup in 1911, beating Newcastle United 1-0 in a replay at Old Trafford, after the final at the Crystal Palace had ended goalless. Famously the Cup and medals then returned to Bradford which is where they had been made by the city's famous firm Fattorini & Sons. This medal was awarded to Bradford City's Scottish centre-half Robert ''Bob'' Torrance. Torrance was born at Kirkintilloch, just to the north-east of Glasgow, in 1888. He joined Bradford City from his home town club 'Rob Roy' in August 1908 and in his first three years at the clubs he was predominately a reserve for the senior team's defence as was the case in the 1911 F.A. Cup final at the Crystal Palace. However, fellow Scot Willie Gildea picked up an injury in the game and so was replaced by Bob Torrance in the replay at Old Trafford. He played superbly and was many commentators choice as Man of the Match. Thereafter Torrance became a regular first teamer and in all made 161 appearances for the club up until 1917. Bob Torrance, together with the man who had lifted the Cup for The Bantams in 1911, another Scot, Jimmy Speirs, and seven other City players were all killed in active service during the First World War. Torrance had joined the Royal Field Artillery and lost an arm during an artillery barrage near the Belgian town on Ypes. The field hospital he was taken to was then shelled into oblivion and his remains were never found. Gunner Torrance's name is engraved along with 36,000 others on the 'Memorial to the Missing' at Tyne Cot war cemetery near Passchendaele, West Flanders, Belgium.