Villers-Plouich is a commune in the Nord department in northern France, situated 14 km south-west of the town of Cambrai. Geography The commune of has evolved over time to consist of the main village centre and two separate hamlets: Beaucamp lies 1.5 km to the west of the village centre, and consists of about twenty dwellings La Vacquerie lies 2.5 km to the east of the village centre, and contains about 35 dwellings, a church and a cemetery History Church records for the commune date back to the 12th Century, though the regular discovery of tools from the prehistoric period, and of several Gallo-Roman sites in the vicinity suggest much earlier human occupation. By the 19th Century, the village boasted a grinding mill, a brewery and a railway station. The commune was the scene of intense and prolonged trench warfare during the First World War, notably during the Battle of Cambrai in 1917, and in the approach to the Battle of the Canal du Nord in 1918. The hamlet of La Vacquerie lay on the Hindenberg Line. By the end of hostilities in 1918, the entire commune was almost completely destroyed. The village was rebuilt in the subsequent years, and is known today for its two impressive twentieth century churches, and as a producer of Belgian endive. A team of de-miners still visits the area two times per year, to safely dispose of munitions found by local farmers. Heritage Both churches, built during the years of reconstruction following the Great War, were designed by (winner of the 'Grand Prix de Rome'), and feature external sculpturing by Marcel Gaumont. The church of Saint-Quentin, is located in the village centre and the church of Saint Joseph is at La Vacquerie. Outside the 'Mairie' (municipal hall), on 'Place de Wandsworth', stands a British red telephone box, which was installed to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice. The commune has a school, a community hall, two football pitches, and two areas for pétanque. The village has an active community Facebook page with regular coverage of local events. Multiple improvement projects are envisaged - the creation of a communal garden and orchard, the restoration of two distinctive pigeon towers and the construction of improved flood defences. The production of Belgian endive was established in the 1940s. Traditionally grown in the surrounding fields as a winter vegetable, the more recent establishment of an indoor 'salle de