The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-02-01
German Observation Points Are
MethodicaIIy Taken in Oar.
ing Attacks.
HEROIC WORK OF Blue DEVILS
First Spyolass Seizure 10 Credited to
chasseurs Who, in Sensational A.
tack Wipe Out Powerfully
Fortified Salient by Surprise.

With the French Armies in the Field.
French troops are methodically TAX
ing away the German %spyglasses.
One by one, enemy observation
points or advantageous positions have
been carefully spotted by the French
Though French official c~ommuniqucs
issued have registered merely local ac-
lions. these have had for the main OBJ
jective TINT Of snatching the binocu-
lars from the Teuton eyes.
A brief artillery preparation, n
shrill whistle In the frst-line trench.
and the Poilus have bounded lover
the top in actions Of signal impor-
tance In Alsace, north of the Chemin
Des Danes and north Of Verdun at
Hill S44. Nearly 1.4OO prisoners and
valuable war material is the "by-prod-
uct" Of these local, s%trategical drives.
Won by Blue Devils.
The first "spyglass" seizure was
that of the "Schonholz," a powerful
fortified German salient jutting into
the French lines in Alsace, serving the
double purpose of German observation
Of the French organizations and pre-
venting the French seeing in the dircc-
ton Of Altkirch. On the afternoon OF
November Z. after n brief but violent
artillery preparation. three companies
Of the French Chasseurs-Blue Devils
attacked the Schonholz, completely
wiping out the salient in q fierce fight
lasting into the night.
The enemy desperately counter-at-
tackled, but failed, leaving in all 100
prisoners. including six officers. in the
hands of the Blue Devils. Complete
German losses. high because OF their
fierce effort to retain a position which
they knew to be Of extreme value. we're
estimated at ut least COO men.
The following day a French general
pinned military medals Oh the blue
tunics Of two ndjutants and n cor
pornl for exceptional valor. Though
there were no such medals in the dis
trict the general sent a fast automo-
bile to find them. wherever possible,
and the little presentation ceremony
In an Alsaclan village was q happy
aftermath Of a victory that took from
the Germans priceless observations
which had bothered the French for
two years.
The French command next decided
that the Germans were seeing too
much north Of the Chemin Des Danes.
Consequently following a brief artil-
lery deluge. four companies Of Poilus
passed to the attack against the enemy
lines forming a salient between the
small River Mlsotte and the route Of
the German-held village Of Jouvin-
court as fur as the villnge Of ville-au-
Bots. Here the enemy held valuable
observation posts overlooking Jonyin-
court and ground each OF the MI
cite.
Under low-lying clouds and in a
~'pea-soup" fog. the former prevent
ing all aerial work and the latter pre-
venting enemy observation OF the ad-
vance, the French infantrymcn. In less
than an hour swept Ovc positions on
a front OF 1900 yards and penetrated
to a depth of over half a mile. They
wiped out the salient. took all the OBJ
seryatOrles and captured 415 prison
ers-a number almost equal to half Of
the entire attacking force. Six Ger
man officers and IS under officers fell
into the net.
The third and most important
French action OF November was in 4
region where constant helllsh fighting
has hcen the daily routine--Hill 3ll.
on the right bank Of the Metise. north
of Vcrdun. Here q drumlikc artillery
AsM-