Drama honours pioneering black footballer and war hero Walter Tull

Our Little Hour, a play about the life of Walter Tull, will tour the UK during Black History Month in October

The life of one of English football's first black players and the British Army's first black officer to command white troops will be the subject of a new musical drama.

The play about Walter Tull will tour during Black History Month in October.

Former Northampton Town and Tottenham player Tull, who was killed aged 29 in World War One, was recommended for a Military Cross but never received one.

Playwright Dougie Blaxland said the show would "honour" Tull's life.

The drama has been commissioned by anti-racism charity Show Racism the Red Card in partnership with Live Wire Theatre.

The stage show, titled Our Little Hour, has been written by Blaxland, and with music composed by Chris Anthony.

Blaxland said the performance was "a celebration of the life of an extraordinary man whose pioneering spirit continues to inspire the campaign for justice and equality".

Paul Kearns, director of operations at Show Racism the Red Card, said: "This production tells a really important story which will help to reinforce the work that we are doing to combat racism by engaging new audiences in a celebration of Walter Tull's pioneering contribution to British society."

Our Little Hour will tour nine UK theatres in England, ending at Northampton's Royal and Derngate from 31 October to 2 November.

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Mr Tull, an orphan, overcame racial abuse to become the first black outfield player to feature in the English top flight.

He played for Tottenham for two years before moving to Northampton Town, for whom he made more than 100 appearances.

He enlisted in the Army in 1914, rose to become a Second Lieutenant and died in the second Battle of the Somme.

As the first black officer to command white troops, he assumed a position he was legally not permitted to hold at the time.

In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame.

Walter Tull was cited for "gallantry and coolness" after leading a war time night raid with 26 men

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