four o'clock
We locked our pieces ; the men had disappeared . `` Down , men ! '' And we crouched again . But next we heard `` Battle sight -- at four o'clock -- fire at will , '' and when we stood up there was a line of skirmishers advancing out of the woods beyond the railway cutting , about where the figure four would be on a great clock-face if spread before us on the landscape , we ourselves being at the six . But while I was popping contentedly away at these men our platoon was ordered first to cease firing , and then to leave the trench and rush to the top of the hill , which we did helter-skelter , none , not even our leader , knowing why . At the very ridge we were met , slap in the face , by a fierce wind of which we in the trench had as yet got no inkling , which blew our ponchos all about , and savagely drove heavy drops of rain in our eyes . In the midst of this surprise we were confronted by an orderly , who pointing along the ridge , told us that we were to form in column of squads .