The Germans had crept under cover of the darkness and dug themselves in anew between us and our friends.

Before us was a trench full of infantry, and there were others to right and left.
We were completely surrounded; and it was not an hour after dawn when the enemy began to shout to us to show our hands and surrender.
Colonel Kirby forbade us to answer them, and we lay still as dead men until they threw bombs--which we answered with bullets.
After that we were left alone for an hour or two, and Colonel Kirby, whose wound was not serious, began passing along the trench, knee-deep in the muddy water, to inspect us and count us and give each man encouragement.

It was just as he passed close to me that a hand-grenade struck him in the thigh and exploded.

He fell forward on me, and I took him across my knee lest he fall into the water and be smothered.

That is how it happened that only I overheard what he said to Ranjoor Singh before he died.