Demarcation stone n°. 2
Practical info
Who/What
Verste Duitse opmars
Location
At the start of the Westendelaan (right direction Westende)
Nieuwpoort, Nieuwpoort
Ground - aerial
Coordinates
GPS-Reference R5834 - Demarcatiepaal nr. 2 - Nieuwpoort
DMSX N 51°08'17.4'' - E002°45'21.7''
DMX N 51°08.290' - E002°45.361'
D N 51.138167° - E002.756017°
UTM 31U E 482930 N 5665218
GOOGLE EARTH 51 08.290 N, 002 45.361 E
Maps
• Mapquest
Info
In the decade following the Armistice, 119 small monuments were erected in Belgium and France, at intervals along the 600 kilometers of the Western Front, to mark the limit of the German advance. The Touring Club de France and the Touring Club de Belgique were the prime movers of this scheme wich caught the imagination of the public. Of pink granite, the monuments are app. 1 metre in height. They were designed by the sculptor Paul Moreau Vauthier who produced three basic types differing mainly in the helmet of the capstone. These were either of the British tin helmet or the French and Belgian 'Poilu's' helmet design. On the side of the stones were decorations consisting of a soldier's equipment (gasmask case, waterbottle). Each bore the inscription "Here the invader was brought to a standstill" in either French, Dutch or English. On the frontface, the name of the place they were to stand in or near was inscribed. The demarcationstones were placed in positions where the battleline crossed a road or street in town or country. Funds to help in the erection of the monuments came from many sources beside the two Touring Clubs, wich bore the main charge, and local authorities, ex-Servicemen's organisations and private people all contributed to their cost. (Source : COOMBS E.B., "Before endeavours fade", 1976)
Other items in Nieuwpoort