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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)

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- Location

Drie Grachtensteenweg (near the café 'De drie grachten')

- Coördinates

GPS reference	R5512 - Demarcatiepaal nr. 5 - Merkem
DSMX	N 50°57'29.8'' - E002°49'15.1''
DMX	N 50°57.497' - E002°49.252'
D	N 50.958278° - E002.820861°
UTM	31U E 487418 N 5645200
Google Earth	50 57.497 N, 002 49.252 E

- Maps

- Routes in the surroundings

	Bakelandtfietsroute
	Fietsen tussen Otter en Zeehond
	IJzerbroekenfietsroute
	Drie Grachtenwandelroute

- Bycicle mappoints in the surroundings

	Noord5 MERKEM
	Zuid5 MERKEM

Other items in Merkem

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	Memorial plaque in remembrance of the unknown Zouave
	Albertina memorial 'Drie Grachten Voorpost 1914-1918'
	Albertina memorial 'De Kippe Slag van 17 april 1918'
	Statue in remembrance of adjudant A.V. Van Eecke
	Memorial 3de Belgische divisie
	Epernon-pillbox and memorial plaque J.Taymans
	Memorial plaque 11de linieregiment and the battle of Merkem 17 april 1918
	Memorial plaque 9de linieregiment and the battle of Merkem 17 april 1918
	Memorial plaque 13e linieregiment and the battle of Merkem 17april 1918
	Memorial plaque 1ste regiment 4de jagers te voet and the battle of Merkem 17 april 1918
	Memorial plaque 'eenheid draadloze telegrafie'
	Memorial plaque 9de linieregiment (WW I and WW II)
	Commemorative column 19de linieregiment and the battle of Merkem 17 april 1918 and WW II
	Albertina memorial 'Luigem schiereiland 1914-1918'
	Statue of the Holy Heart in remembrance of the victims of Merkem (WW I and WW II)
	Stained windows in the Langewaede-chapel