Thursday 4th
October 1917
Today is the
third day in a row it has been raining and another full-scale attack has been
made on the enemy here at Ypres, by twelve divisions. The most southerly of
these was 37th Division, which attacked with 63rd and 111th Brigades. 6th
Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment was lent to these brigades but was not called
upon, though I am very sad to report that my friend, the laconic adjutant,
Captain H J Cunningham has been killed by a shell. 63rd Brigade went forward
and managed to take their first objective but the Germans are always very
protective of the ground anywhere in the vicinity of the Menin Road and a
series of desperate counter-attacks drove the brigade back to its starting
positions. 111th Brigade had more success, capturing Tower Trench but being
unable to take all their objectives.
The 5th
Division attack was also made without the Bedfords, the 1st Battalion being in
reserve. An advance to the grounds of Polderhoek Chȃteau has been made though
that attack cannot get any further as the position is very strongly held.
Elsewhere Cameron Copse has been taken and the advance has ended just short of
Juniper Hill which, again is very strongly held. Despite this the advance has
taken a reasonable amount of ground on the Polderhoek Spur which the enemy will
be unhappy to lose(1).
21st Division
is on the 5th Division’s left flank and on the eastern edge of the southern
part of Polygon Wood. Their attack, with 62nd and 64th Brigades, has been
slightly more successful. They have taken Joist Farm, Juniper Trench and Judge
Trench and a number of enemy strong-points.
7th Division
is next in the line going north. They used 20th and 91st Brigades in their
attack. They seem to have been completely successful, taking all their
objectives including Jetty Wood, Jubilee Croft, Jay Barn, Jay Croft and Jolting
House.
The colonials
of the two ANZAC Corps form the next four divisions. 1st Australian Division obtained
most of their objectives and even managed to capture a battery of four 77mm
field guns en-route! Romulus and Remus Woods have fallen and all objectives
have been taken
2nd
Australian Division had to go round Zonnebeke Lake in making their attack but
managed to capture Zonnebeke itself. This division, too, not to be outdone,
also captured a battery of four light artillery pieces. Going on they have also
managed to capture the village of Broodeseinde, giving two in one attack. We
understand they have not quite achieved their final objective but can be proud
of what they have achieved.
3rd
Australian Division took the strong-points called Seine and Hamburg. The New
Zealand Division is the furthest north of the four ANZAC divisions, they have
taken Dear House, Dochy Farm, Berlin Farm, Albatross Farm, Aviatik Farm and
Otto Farm and the strong-points called Boetleer, Korek, Waterloo, Riverside,
Calgary Grange, Winzig and Winchester. Another splendid success for the men
from the islands of the long white cloud.
48th (South
Midland) Division are the next in line and attacked with one brigade. They have
taken Vale Farm and Tweed House but were unable to take all their objectives,
ending some way short of their final objective.
11th Division
used two brigades, 33rd and 34th, in their attack. The good news is that they
have taken the village of Poelcapelle as well as strong-points such as Gloster
Farm, Ferdan House and Malta House.
4th Division used
10th and 11th Brigades in its attack and took Kangaroo Trench without
difficulty. 11th Brigade went on to take all their objectives, a truly splendid
effort worthy of the old regular army. 10th Brigade has been less fortunate,
taking 19 Metre Hill but being unable to make further progress. We understand
they then were hit by an enemy counter-attack but managed to fight it off.
29th Division
formed the northernmost attack of today. 86th and 87th Brigades’ task was to
make a defensive flank to protect the units further south from interference. A
number of strong-points have been taken including Chinese House and ‘t Goed ter
Vesten Farm. When the enemy counter-attacked and drove the 4th Division back it
was flanking fire from 29th Division which routed the Germans and enabled 4th
Division to regain the ground it had lost.
So today has
seen more steady progress. It is true that not all objectives have been reached
but some divisions have had great success and none have encountered outright
failure. Such attacks, chipping away at the enemy bit by bit must surely begin
to make an impact on him. The army is now within sight of the ridge on which
stands the village of Passchendaele.
Sources: X550/2/5; X550/7/1
(1) They put
in no less than eight counter-attacks regaining some of the ground.
