On October 4 the 48th Division attacked before St. Julien, forcing their way across the valley of the Stroombeek towards the south-east of Poelcapelle. In the 143rd Brigade the 5th Royal Warwickshire were on the right, the 6th in the centre and the 7th on the left, with the 8th in support. The 5th captured Vale House (Passchendaele), Winzig (Passchendaele) and Albatross Farm (Passchendaele), joining up with the New Zealanders on their right at Kronprinz Farm (Passchendaele). The 6th were also extremely successful at Wellington Farm, capturing all their main objectives, together with 350 prisoners and 10 machine-guns. The 7th had for its objective Tweed House. " C " Company on the right had much difficulty owing to bad ground, and coming under heavy fire had many casualties, including its commander, Captain Croall. Second-Lieut. Nieholls then formed a defensive dank on his left, whilst his right attacked a machine-gun post and after half an hour's fight captured it. " D " Company had advanced without much opposition till they reached Tweed House, where a machine-gun post had to be captured, after which they pushed on and consolidated a line, joining up with " C " on the right and the 9th Lancashire Fusiliers on the left.
The other two companies of the 7th had kept well up in support. "13" Company on the right pushed on to the far side of the cemetery, but had to withdraw to a position where it could link up with the 6th Royal Warwickshire. On the left "A" Company captured Terrier Farm. As they continued their advance all the officers and non-commissioned officers in No. 2 Platoon were shot down. Then Private Arthur Hutt took command and led forward the platoon. He was held up by a strong post on his right, but immediately ran forward alone, shot the officer and three men in the post, and so caused between forty and fifty others to surrender. Presently, realising that he had pushed too far, Hutt withdrew his party. He personally covered the withdrawal, sniping the enemy and killing a number of them. Then he carried back a comrade, who had been badly wounded, and put him under shelter. After he had organised and consolidated his new position, he learnt that some wounded men still lay out in the open, where they were likely to be taken prisoners. As no stretcher-bearers were available, Hutt went out himself and carried in four men under heavy fire. For such exploits there could be no other reward than the Victoria Cross.
" A " Company of the 7th, after falling back, had linked up with the Lancashire Fusiliers on the left and " B " Company on the right. In the position which they had thus secured both battalions successfully repelled the counter-attack of the enemy. Meantime the 8th had sent forward two companies to assist the 6th in a further attack on Burns Farm and Vacher Farm. When this proved unsuccessful as many men as possible were collected from the three battalions and again attacked at five o'clock; but the positions were too strongly held and the downfall of rain and night rendered any further advance impossible. As a whole the operations had, however, been completely successful. The casualties had been heavy; altogether in the four battalions 12 officers were killed and 15 wounded, whilst 1 was missing; in other ranks the total was 765. The brigade held its advanced position for three cold and rainy days, and when it was relieved, was transferred to the Arras area.
Bron: The story of the Royal Warwickshire regiment; van Lethbridge Kingsford C.
