Special coin honours British Army's first black officer

The first black officer in the British Army will be remembered on a special set of coins released by the Royal Mint as part of commemorations of the centenary of the First World War.

Walter Tull, who played football for Northampton Town, who was promoted to officer rank during the war despite a ban on black officers being given the high status, died in battle in 1918.

The coin, featuring a portrait of the officer with a backdrop of infantry soldiers going "over the top", will be one of a set of six £5 coins to remember the sacrifice made by so many during the war.

Each year until 2018 another set of six coins will be released, covering key battles and the stories of individual heroes of the time, with the final set focusing on the armistice and legacy of the war.

In 2012 Author Michael Morpurgo called for Tull to be given a posthumous award for his service during the First World War. See our report here