TCD MS 10823 folio 3 recto
[March 21st 1918] was very likely to escape in the fog, especially as parties of his men were all over the country. Several parties of Germans stumbled into our post in the fog, and each time, <after a little rapid rifle fire at close range those that survived beat a hasty retreat>. It was evident for some time that we were surrounded, but as long as the fog remained dense, we felt pretty safe. Our own artillery was quite silent, either because they were ignorant of what was happening in the fog or because they had already been captured.
One of the orderlies went a few yards out to the wire to try and find out what was happening, but was immediately shot through the stomach, another one went out to try and bring him in, but he too was mortally wounded.
About 11 a.m. the fog gradually began to clear away and it was possible to gain some idea of what had happened. The Boche were everywhere all around us: about 1000 yards away to the right, they were bringing up their fieldguns which they eventually got into position a mile or so to our rear, but not without being seriously worried by our Lewis gun fire. Parties kept coming along the St. Quentin Road quite unaware of our presence, until rapid fire from a close range was opened upon them. About 1. p.m. we sent off another pigeon message to say that we were still holding out, though hard pressed, as the Boche had got into one end of our trench and were trying to bomb us out of it, but we held them and prevented them from getting any further. Soon after they appeared at the other end bombing their way along, but thanks to the Intelligence Officer and a couple of men, they were again