OUR Little Hour - the critically acclaimed musical based on the life of the late, great Walter Tull that has been commissioned by Show Racism the Red Card - will be coming to Exeter as part of a national campaign to address a century-old injustice that has denied Britain’s first “Black British” Army Officer the award of the Military Cross for which he was recommended during the First World War.

The production will be staged at Barnfield Theatre in association with the Northcott Theatre on February 17 and 18.

Hailed “utterly compelling” and “an intensely moving new musical drama”, Our Little Hour tells the inspirational story of Walter Tull - who became the first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game in the UK before achieving another historic breakthrough as the first man of his heritage to be commissioned as an officer in the British Army.

His appointment in 1917 came despite an official ruling made just three years before that all British Army officers should be of “pure European descent”.

Leon Newman who plays Walter Tull in this critically acclaimed new musical believes that “while Our Little Hour is an artistic celebration of Walter Tull’s life, it is also part of an active mission to persuade the British Government to honour the award of the Military Cross for which Walter was recommended following his courage and leadership during a mission which took place on January 1, 1918 when he led 26 men as part of a raid across the Piave River in Northern Italy.”

Ths job of Walter Tull’s party was to shield the rest of the battalion involved in the raid and provide cover as they crossed multiple streams and advanced on enemy lines.

A complete success, Walter received a citation for “gallantry and coolness” under fire.

For some reason the award has never been made and playwright Dougie Blaxland who has placed Walter Tull’s role in the raid across the Piave River at the very centre of the drama argues: “the failure to honour Walter Tull with the award he so clearly deserved is made all the more disgraceful by the fact that he was killed just three months later fighting in Northern France.”

Director, Amanda Horlock, described Our Little Hour as “a celebration of the life of an extraordinary man whose pioneering spirit continues to inspire the campaign for justice and equality. This production honours the memory of one of the most significant figures in British sporting and military history.”

Combining a power packed drama with hauntingly original music, Paul Kearns, Director of Operations at Show Racism the Red Card, believes the 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.”

More than 3,000 people have signed in support of the campaign to date but in the words of Dougie Blaxland “we have still have a long way to go to reach the 10,000 signatures needed for a formal response from the Government but we hope audiences will be moved to support us when they have heard the great man’s extraordinary story”.

To read more about the campaign, visit: https://www.change.org/p/honour-walter-tull-by-awarding-him-the-military-cross-and-by-erecting-a-statue-in-london

To book tickets, visit: https://exeternorthcott.co.uk/events/our-little-hour/