London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

‘Long way to go’: Family of Britain’s first black Army officer on race equality

‘Long way to go’: Family of Britain’s first black Army officer on race equality

Children from BAME backgrounds continue to face greater challenges to their life chances, said Action for Children.

Britain has “a long way to go” to tackle race inequality, the grand-nephew of the first British black Army officer said as he reflected on his ancestor’s struggle in overcoming adversity.

Walter Tull served in the First World War as a second lieutenant, leading men into battle at a time when the Army forbade a person of non-European descent becoming an officer.

He died aged 29 in March 1918 while leading an attack on the Western Front during the second Battle of the Somme.

As well as being one of the most celebrated British black soldiers of the Great War, Mr Tull was also one of the first black professional football players in England, playing for Tottenham Hotspur despite facing racial discrimination.


His grand-nephew, Edward Finlayson, 69, from Edinburgh, said Mr Tull’s remarkable story of resilience continues to inspire so many people more than 100 years after his death, with young players of Manchester United’s under-12s club recently writing to him of their joy in learning about the late footballer at an exhibition.

But racial inequality continues to hamper the lives of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people, Mr Finlayson said, as he described how he witnessed the civil rights movement and anti-racist campaigns that dominated the Western world in the 1950s and 60s.

“Almost 60 years from that period, and we are still looking at images and stories of Black Lives Matter, and that’s not just in the US, we have cases in the UK,” he told the PA news agency.

Mr Finlayson believes the systemic disadvantages faced by black people, with regards to pay and opportunities, is growing.

He said: “That should be a matter of huge concern because of the effect that’s bound to have on the wrong side of the divide, for those who don’t get the opportunities or treated with respect, and then condemned for failing to improve themselves by a section of society who know little about privilege and how many people’s lives operate.

“It’s horrifying, we have still got a long way to go, there is no room for complacency.”

Mr Tull and his brother, Edward Tull-Warnock, were orphaned at a young age and taken into the care of the National Children’s Home, now known as Action for Children, in Bethnal Green, east London.


A black postbox featuring an image of Second Lieutenant Walter Tull in Glasgow, one of four special edition postboxes marking Black History Month (Andrew Milligan/PA)


A black postbox featuring an image of Second Lieutenant Walter Tull in Glasgow, one of four special edition postboxes marking Black History Month (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The brothers were lucky that they were given an education and adopted by loving families which led to their success, Mr Finlayson said, with Edward Tull-Warnock qualifying to become the first black dentist in the UK.

But children from BAME backgrounds continue to face greater challenges to their life chances, said Imran Hussain, director of policy and campaigns at Action for Children.

“We know child poverty in this country is too high and rising even before the coronavirus crisis – and that black and Asian children face the biggest poverty risks,” he said.

“We know that there are disturbing inequalities in the proportions of children from different ethnic groups in the care system and that young BAME people are less likely to access mental health services early.

“Policymakers need to do more to consult directly with BAME children, young people and families as well as encourage positive BAME role models, and challenge negative behaviour and stereotypes.

“And we too in the charity sector need to respond to prejudice and hardship with action.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
×