About a quarter past four o'clock in
the afternoon
Her voice came to him through the closed door in a sharp cry telling Jean that Monsieur Nicky was dead , and Jean 's voice came , hushing her . Then he heard the feet of the old man shuffling across the kitchen floor , and the outer door opening and shutting softly ; and through the windows at the back of the room , he saw , without heeding , as the Belgians passed and went up into the fields together , weeping , leaving him alone . They had remembered . It was then that Michael read the Colonel 's letter , and learned the manner of his brother 's death : '' ... About a quarter past four o'clock in the afternoon his battalion was being pressed back , when he rallied his men and led them in as gallant an attack as was ever made by so small a number in this War . He was standing on the enemy 's parapet when he was shot through the heart and fell . By a quarter to five the trench was stormed and taken , owing to his personal daring and impetus and to the affection and confidence he inspired ... . We hear it continually said of our officers and men that ` they 're all the same , ' and I daresay as far as pluck goes they are .