Othello is listed as being killed in action on 12 Oct 1916. The 1st Battalion war diary entry for that day refers to Appendix I - Report of Operations which is transcribed below along with a newpaper article from the Rugby Advertiser.
Report on Operations
Trenches - Les Boeufs - Diary of Operations 12 -10-16
G.N.B Forster, Lieut Colonel, Commanding 1st Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
| 2.05pm |
Creeping barrage opened and Battalion doubled forward out of trenches in 4 waves - 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in line and 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in support. Battalion HQ about T.9.b.4.4 |
| 2.15pm |
It appeared from T.9.b.4.4 that a barrage was put up by the Germans in the line Les Boeufs - Morval |
| 2.40pm |
M.G. Officer reported barrarge excellent and Germans running back. Companies going well |
| 2.55pm |
Report came in from C.C. D Coy that the left of my left Coy hung up by the strong point. The right of the Royal Irish Fusilers failing to get forward. Sent an order to O.C. D Coys left to call on Support Company to help them and try and turn the flank of the Gun Pits from direction T.5.a.5.0 |
| 3.05pm |
From Batt O.P. received following: 12th Brigade appear to have got well forward owing to ground cannot see our troops. Germans get a heavy barrage up in front of Les Boeufs and Huns still sending up white rockets from here. |
| 3.10pm |
Two wounded German prisoners came in, one of 82nd Regt & 164th Regt. |
| 3.20pm |
10th Infantry Brigade reported that news received Hazy Trench held by our troops. |
| 3.30pm |
Sent out two runners to our front line trenches to obtain information. At 3.55pm they reported that they could only get to Sunken Road. Heavy Machine Gun fire from E of Les Boeufs direction and German barrage on Shamrock. |
| 4.0pm |
News from French - Right reported reached 2nd Objective, no news from the left |
| 4.05pm |
Message from French - No news of our Regiment, all wires broken. From our O.P. we saw the English troops on our left going out of their trenches very quickly, we know that the English have passed their first objective. We have seen a German Obseravation Post surrundering. |
| 4.30pm |
O.C. A Coy (Right Support Coy) reports about 50 of A & C Coys dug in about T.5.t.4.9 towards gun pits. Not in touch with French and cannot see anybody on our left. At present German strong point and gun pits still held by Germans |
| 4.57pm |
O.C. Royal Irish Fusiliers reports 2 platoons of his right Support Coy in Shamrock Trench with no officers and only one NCO, also about one Coy of Royal Dublin Fusiliers. |
| 5.35pm |
Royal Irish Fusiliers report his right Support Coy and our left company are in Burnaby Trench and are trying to re-organise. One company Royal Dublin Fusiliers in Foggy Trench. |
| 6.00pm |
R.A. Liason Officer reports that F.O.O, reports counter attack coming from direction of T.5 Central and N.35 Central. No news received from front line area. |
| 6.05pm |
Royal Dublin Fusiliers report have sent one Company up to Fluff Trench |
| 6.08pm |
Sent message to O.C. Front Line to hang on for all they are worth. One Coy Royal Dublin Fusiliers now coming in support to Fluffy Trench |
| 6.10pm |
F.O.O. reports that Counterattack from T.5 Central at present failed. |
| 6.45pm |
A runner of D Coy came in wounded and said O.C. A Coy had sent him with a message to say O.C. A Coy with some of D and some of C were digging in about 900 yards in front of our present line and the French were on the right. No written message came and he said he left just before dark and that he passed through our front line which has some Royal Dublin Fusiliers in it. The man was a bit shaken and I don't think this information is very reliable. |
| 7.35pm |
Received message from Captain Irvine same as reported by Royal Irish Fusiliers at 5.35pm |
| 7.55pm |
Sent up an officer with orders to Senior Officer in Front Line to re-organise and consolidate at onvce and send out patrols to ascertain if any British out in front and also to warn him an aeroplane was coming in the morning to try and locate position of troops. |
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Rugby Advertiser Article
The Advertiser November 11, 1916
Dunchurch
Mrs. Barrett of Bilton Grange has received news that her brother, Corp Orthello Dyke, of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in action on the 12th of October by the bursting of a shell. Corpl Dyke had been in the army 17 years and had been stationed at various places abroad. At the time of the Boer War he looked after the Boer prisoners. He had been previously wounded and gassed.
In his younger days he had been in service to the late Lady John Scott in Scotland and also with the Rev Walter Earle, Bilton Grange. Corpl Dyke was an expert knitter, and in his time had made some handsome shawls, which have been greatly admired. He was the youngest son of the late George Dyke, butcher, Stratford on Avon. He was unmarried and was 34 years of age.
