=Dixmude= was a small ancient town of some 4,000 inhabitants, situated in the midst of fields on the right bank of the Yser. It was entirely destroyed. Of the town's monuments and buildings, traces of the parish-church of St. Nicholas only remain _(on the left side of the square)_. The chevet dated from the 14th century, the rest of the building being early 16th century. The church contained a magnificent rood-loft of finely carved white stone (1540). Above the high altar was a fine _Adoration of the Wise Men_, by Jordaens (1644). The rich ancient furnishings comprised: a marble font with a bronze cover (1626), choir-stalls, pulpits, a "Calvary" altar, a carved oak organ-loft, wrought copper chandeliers, candlesticks, etc. From the heap of stones and débris--the remains of the church tower--there is a good view of the ruined town. In the same square stood the Hôtel-de-Ville, Gothic in style, built about 1870. It was entirely razed _(Photo below)_. [Illustration: +Dixmude, seen from the ruined Church (1919).+] [Illustration: +Dixmude. The Hôtel-de-Ville, before the war.+] _The left-hand road leads to the bridge over the Handzaeme Canal_, one of the most picturesque parts of Dixmude. Close by, to the left of the road, stood the +Béguinage+, comprising some twenty houses grouped around a small chapel, and a fine garden. The place is now overrun with weeds. The Defence and Capture of Dixmude. Dixmude was the scene of most desperate fighting from October 15 to November 10, 1914. The French Naval Brigade--6,000 men commanded by Admiral Ronarc'h--with a brigade of the Belgian 3rd Division under General Meiser, and a few battalions of Senegalese troops, held out heroically for a month against enemy forces six times more numerous and supported by masses of heavy artillery. [Illustration] On October 16, along the roads encumbered with refugees from the region of Thourout, the Marines, in their retreat from Melle to Ghent, reached Dixmude in the pouring rain, accompanied by the Belgian batteries under Major Pontus. Under enemy pressure the advanced positions of the town were abandoned. At that time, the river formed the only line of defence against the enemy thrust, there being no trenches, shelters, or wire entanglements. In spite of great fatigue, due to the forced marches, the Marines and Infantry, with the help of some companies of Belgian Engineers, organised defences in the vast plain. Trenches were made round the town, 1 km. beyond its outskirts, whilst the bridges, footways and dikes of the Yser Canal were fortified at the same time. [Illustration: +The Chevet of the church before the war.+ _(Photo E. Thill.)_] The defences of the bridgehead of Dixmude were divided into two sectors, separated by the Caeskerke Road. Having no aeroplanes or heavy artillery, the 6,000 French Marines, with 5,000 Belgians of the Meiser Brigade--11th Regiment (Col. Leermans) and 12th regiment (Col. Jacques)--were attacked by three German Army Corps.