[Illustration: DIXMUDE.—Their Majesties King and Queen at the “Death trench”. (June 1^{st} 1917). ] [Illustration: DIXMUDE.—Their Majesties King and Queen at the Riderswork. (June 1^{st} 1917). The Queen examining private J. Vermeire’s helmet, which had just been pierced by a German bullet. ] At the end of the Yser battle, after the 29^{th} of October 1914, Oud-Stuyvekenskerke was only occupied for a few days by weak German detachements, whilst our line of defence had been brought back upon the Nieuport-Dixmude railway line and rejoining the Yser at the kilometer 16 by a line running through Roode-Poort farm and the houses of the Burg. Then the flood forced the foe to withdraw up to the bank of the river. On the 3^{rd} of November 1914, the Belgian G. H. Q. ordered to push forward reconnaitring parties all along our army front; advanced posts were then placed which, little by little were multiplied untill they formed a complete defence line of advanced guards, acting as outposts screen to the whole defence scheme. The main-guards were all on duty beyond the inundations, the mean of access to the main-guards being long duck boards placed on threstle stuck in the soil. The one leading to Oud-Stuyvekenskerke was particularly dangerous because the Germans had aimed a fixed rifle on it, which was sweeping its whole length. The losses there sustained have been very heavy, mainly when relieves were on. To cut the casualties down the 4^{th} line Regiment erected concrete shields against bullets and shell splinters. The main-guard of Oud-Stuyvekenskerke was protecting the left flanc of the organization of the Dixmude sector and that by keeping under its fire the whole of the ground stretching itself in front of their advanced posts. Besides, the hamlet which was situated on a little knoll, was thus affording great advantages for the creation of observation-posts. In connection with this “War-Site” there is a name which is closely associated with every details of its life. Known as the “Burgomaster of Oud-Stuyvekenskerke”, R. Father Martial Lekeux, Artillery Commander, spent the first years of the war in the tower, then when latter tumbled down, he moved in the gable front of a farm where he organized a remarkable observation-post. The name of Martial Lekeux deserves to be mentioned here, because his dogged determination and pluck, unidentified themselves with that main-guard of Oud-Stuyvekenskerke. Three momentous German posts, were facing it, i. e. the farms n^o 1, “den Toren and Van de Woude”, which owed many a tragic days to the keen eyes of the Belgian observer.