He is now more helpless than ever, a mere puppet at the mercy of enemy fire, forced to play dead, his eyes half opened, praying…
If Russell's account is true - and everything indicates it is - the hero of Metropolis could not have ignored their presence, even when he was playing dead, eyes half closed. At the worst, he was surely informed afterwards or after the war, thru discussions with his comrades.
Don't know where God is but the Devil is in the details