Walter Tull

[michaelpi]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/07/historian-finds-clues-to-grave-of-britains-first-black-army-officer

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Link:  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/07/historian-finds-clues-to-grave-of-britains-first-black-army-officer

[Moonraker]

One needs to register to see the full article, but that's not the case here

 

Features research by Andy Robertshaw, but it's not conclusive. The words "may", "possibly" and "not be absolutely certain" occur.

 

Please, please, don't let us have another debate about the claim that Walter was Britain's first black army officer.

 

Time was when we had a dozen and more of threads about him, though many of these will have been "archived".

Edited 7 November , 2020 by Moonraker

[corisande]

The Times had the story as well this morning - I think this is a clickable link if you don't have a subscription

 

The nub of the article is, as you say, vague. When I read it original, I thought that it was so much "non news" that it really did not contribute anything to his final resting place. It is unlikely that CWGC would take this as proof

 

Attempts by Tull’s men to recover his body proved futile. The men who saw him fall said he was in the open and they had to retreat to cover. Mr Robertshaw said the sunken lanes close to where the bodies were found would have been ideal for this purpose.

He said the bodies appeared to be those of most of the men of Tull’s battalion who were killed after the headquarters were overrun. Seven were subsequently identified by name, the others only as a corporal and six “soldiers”. Mr Robertshaw believes Tull’s body is likely to have been among the latter. He said: “It is probable that Tull lies with his comrades in the cemetery at Croisilles with a headstone that states ‘Known unto God’ and is identified by his regiment — that would be key to him and to any soldier.”

[corisande]

The news stories are based on a PodCast

 

http://www.amazingwarstories.com/episodes/the-striker-of-the-somme-a-remembrance-day-special

 

It is 42 minutes long, and the stuff on Tull's grave is from about minute 35 onwards

[Fattyowls]

Just as a bit of context; I think this is Croisilles-Heninel Road seen from the south with Monchy-le-Preux on the right horizon. @Colin W Taylor  will correct me if it isn't, he took it and kindly lent it to me. It's a lovely photo of what looks like a cold, bright day regardless of the significance. The long shadow is one of the wind turbines on the ridge along which the outpost line in front of Tunnel Trench in the Hindenburg line ran. Arras is over the ridge on the left horizon.

 

Pete.