of trenches where the Belgian and German armies were only meters away, was just north of Diksmuide, on the Yser. Next was Onze-Lieve-Vrouwehoekje ("the little corner of Mary"), at Out-Stuivekenskerke, a little over 1 kilometer from the Yser; because of the flooding, this had become an island. This important Belgian outpost ("The Great Guard South") was manned from December 1914 to May 1915 by the artillery observer Edouard Lekeux (Aarlen, 1884 - Luik, 1962), a reserve lieutenant and a Franciscan minorite, who moved to the Goemaere family farm after German artillery had leveled the church tower. A plaque in his honor was put up in 1963 in Oud-Stuivekenskerke. The Germans retreated from the area on October 15, 1918. The St. Peter's Church, which had been destroyed in the war, was rebuilt in 1925, as was the Viconia estate. The Oud-Stuivekenserke landscape is dominated by the "Our Lady of Victory" chapel (1924-1925, by Veurne architect Camille Van Elslande), the ruined church tower from 1572, and the many military remembrances of World War I. The entire area was declared protected in 1993. Clay pits After World War 2, clay was extracted in Stuivekenskerke, between the Viconia estate and the Yser; these clay pits, the , now form a 35 ha nature reserve with seven ponds. The area is a haven for birds, and at least 195 different species are found here. Places of interest St. Peter's Church Viconia Kasteelhoeve, rebuilt in 1925 Onze-Lieve-Vrouwehoekje in Oud-Stuivekenskerke, with the ruined tower of the former St. Peter's church, and the memorial chapel Our Lady of Victory, with a demarcation pole with the inscription "Here the conqueror was brought to a halt" Viconia clay pits The boards of the Yser, in which mats woven from willow provide resting and mating areas for fish Modern administration Formerly an independent municipality, in 1970 Stuivekenskerke merged with Pervijze, Lampernisse, and Oostkerke, and became sub-communes in the municipality of Diksmuide. Demographics Sources: NIS, www.westhoek.be and Stad Diksmuide. Note: 1806 -1991, numbers from the census; 2001 and 2007: inhabitants on January 1. References External links Stuivekenskerke @ City Review Populated places in West Flanders Sub-municipalities of Diksmuide