English professional footballer Walter Tull (1888–1918) was the grandson of a slave in Barbados. During World War I, he became the first British-born person of colour to serve as an officer in the British Army, despite a rule preventing soldiers who were not "of pure European descent" from becoming officers. In 1918, aged 29, Tull was killed while leading an attack on German trenches. He was recommended for a Military Cross for gallantry (bravery), but never received one.

Early life

Walter Tull was born on 28th April 1888 in Folkestone, Kent. His mother, born Alice Palmer, was a white woman from Kent. His father, Daniel Tull, was a carpenter from Barbados where his own father had been a slave. Walter’s early childhood was spent in Folkestone, where he started school.

When Walter was just 7 years old, his mother died. A year later his father married Alice's cousin, Clara Palmer, but not long afterwards he died too. Walter’s stepmother found it difficult bringing up six young children on her own. So Walter, then aged 9, and his brother Edward, were to sent to live in an orphanage in East London.

After a pre-season tour of Argentina and Uruguay, Walter made his debut for Spurs. After a promising start, in which he scored two goals, he was dropped after only seven first team games. The reason was because of the racial abuse he received while playing at Bristol City.

A report on the match in the Football Star, headlined “Football and the Colour Prejudice” said that Walter remained professional and composed throughout the game while “a section of the crowd made a cowardly attack on him.” The story describes Walter as "Hotspur's most brainy forward ... so clean in mind and method as to be a model for all white men who play football ... Tull was the best forward on the field."
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​​​​​​​Tull played on at Spurs but made only three further appearances for the first team. In October 1911, he was signed for Northampton Town for a "substantial fee" by Herbert Chapman (who would go on to become one of English football's greatest managers, winning First Division titles at Huddersfield Town and Arsenal). He made over 100 appearances for his new club.

When World War I broke out in August 1914, Tull joined the Footballers' Battalion, the 17th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He reached the rank of sergeant and saw action in the First Battle of the Somme in November 1916. He rose through the ranks to become the first black officer (2nd Lieutenant) in the British Army—even though Army rules at the time only allowed for white officers. With the 23rd Battalion, Tull fought on the Italian Front from November 1917 to early March 1918. He was praised for his "gallantry and coolness" after he led his company of 26 men on a night raiding party into enemy territory. All his men returned unharmed.
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On 25th March 1918, Tull led his men in an attack on German trenches during the Second Battle of the Somme. Crossing "No Man's Land", the open ground between the two armies, he came under fire from German machine guns and was killed. His body was never recovered. His commanding officers wrote to his family to say that he had been recommended for a Military Cross.
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Memorials

Today Tull is honoured and remembered in a number of ways, including blue plaques at his former homes in London and Rushden, Northamptonshire. A statue of him stands outside Northampton Guildhall. Near Northampton Town Football Club’s Sixfields Stadium, both a road and a pub bear Walter Tull’s name. There is memorial to him outside the ground.
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