The name Walter Tull likely falls on many a deaf ear. Tull, though, was one of English football's first black players and the British Army's first ever black officer to command white troops. His prowess on the field led to Tull playing in the First Division, while his bravery on the battlefield earned him a Military Cross recommendation, a military decoration he ultimately didn't receive. Now, Tull's life and career—and the glaring oversight regarding his wartime commendation—are currently being reappraised.
So, how did Walter Tull raise himself above the ranks of sport and the armed forces? Click through and learn more about this forgotten football pioneer and war hero.