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MP calls for Walter Tull to receive Military Cross

PA A sepia photograph of Walter Tull wearing a military jacket, tie and white shirt. His hair is combed with a parting in the middle. He is looking directly at the camera.PA
As the first black officer to command white troops, Walter Tull rose to a position he was legally not permitted to hold at the time

An MP has called for a World War One soldier, who was one of England's first black professional footballers, to be awarded the Military Cross.

Walter Tull, who played for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town, died aged 29 when he was shot on the battlefields in northern France in 1918.

He was Britain's first black Army officer to command white troops.

Lucy Rigby, Labour MP for Northampton North, shared an open letter to Alistair Carns, the minister for veterans and people, calling for Mr Tull to be "rightly commemorated".

She wrote: "Walter Tull's story is one that resonates deeply, with those in Northampton and far beyond.

"It is one of incredible success, talent and bravery, all in the face of the pervasive racial prejudices of the time."

The MP added that the campaign to issue the posthumous award was "long-running and well-supported".

The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, previously lobbied for Mr Tull to be given the award in 2018.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said: "Walter Tull served with great courage, setting an example to those under his command as a British Army officer during the First World War."

Carroll Weston/BBC Lucy Rigby wearing a white blazer and gold necklace. She is wearing glasses and is standing against a blurred background which shows a road crossing and green treesCarroll Weston/BBC
Lucy Rigby said Walter Tull's inspirational story should be celebrated

Who was Walter Tull?

When Walter Tull died on the battlefields of World War One, very few people knew how much he had endured in his 29 years.

His parents died and he was left alone in an orphanage in east London after his brother was adopted by a couple in Glasgow.

He played for a number of football clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, but as one of the first black players in the English game he became a target for racists in the stands.

Later signing for Northampton Town, he played 111 games for the club before World War One broke out.

Mr Tull became the first black officer in the Army and rose to the rank of second lieutenant, despite laws at the time preventing it. He was later recommended for a Military Cross for gallantry.

However, he was killed in action before he could receive the award.

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