Shot 6 times by a nervous sentry - what was the sentry armed with? a Sten gun? Sure as heck wasn’t a bolt action Mk4 Enfield!
Seems likely. A cigarette case wouldn’t have done much deflecting of a .303 round.
You've heard of the "mad minute"? Rate of fire (when user properly trained) is so fast that Germans mistook it for machine guns.
I own a couple (No. 4 and a Mk III as well as an actual No. 5 "jungle carbine" (not the Indian imitation).) I'm not as well trained as they were, but with the rear locking lugs and a VERY slick bolt it will cycle amazingly fast.