Content Note | Topics discussed:
In the recent Birthday Honours, Sir Edgar Bowring had been awarded the K.C.M.G. Other staff who were recognised were Mr Peacock (G.C.V.O.), Mr Millington (O.B.E.) and Mr Opie (B.E.M.) The health of Sir Fabian Ware and Major Beavis was reported, and the deaths of Mr Linney Griffith and Mr Blunt were announced.
Report of Lord Stanley’s brief visit to the La Pieta Cemetery in Malta and Sir Brodie Henderson’s visit to France. Mining under the Loos Memorial would need monitoring.
Ceremonies in the American Cemetery at Brookwood, at Lacouture on the 16th anniversary of the Battle of the Lys, both with Commission representation were reported on. Letter of thanks from the Hertford British Hospital in Paris. Commission represented at the Terlincthun Cemetery on the anniversary of the King’s visit. Party of 360 pilgrims from South Africa currently in London. Events included meeting the King. Party then travelled to Belgium and France, including Delville Wood.
Colonel Hughes (representative in the Middle East) was present in London and reported in some depth on the state of Cemeteries in Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Turkey and Greece.
Report Of The 232nd Meeting Of The Finance Committee Discussion of the processing of British graves in French Communal Cemeteries. Agreed that following French procedures, and if relatives agreed, bodies would be moved to nearby British Cemetery, or to a French National Cemetery.
Anglo-French Mixed Committee Mention that Sir George Clerk was to replace Lord Tyrrell on the Committee. Lord Tyrrell thanked for his contribution.
Anglo-Belgian Mixed Committee Mention that Sir Esmond Ovey was to replace Sir George Clerk on the Committee.
London Cemetery, High Wood, Longueval Mention that the Commission approved the design, by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Frederic Kenyon, of the extension of London Cemetery at High Wood.
Concentration Of Isolated Graves In France And Belgium Refers to burials of remains found on the Somme battlefield which had increased by 40% in this year. The extension of London Cemetery would be used in future for this purpose.
South African Agency Mention that Brigadier-General W.E.C. Tanner was to be replaced by Lieutenant-Colonel H. S. Wakefield as member of the South African Agency. Refers to a letter from a committee of the Commission’s gardeners at Ypres which had been received. However, as the letter approached the matter [unspecified in the minutes] in a ‘loose or lefthanded way’ it was recommended to be dealt with by the Staff Committee in the first instance.
Mention that Sir Edgar Bowring thanked for his work as this would be his last meeting.
Attendees: Lieut.-General Sir George Macdonogh, G.B.E., K.C.B., K.C.M.G, in the Chair Colonel G.L. Pepys, C.B., D.S.O. (Representing the Secretary of State for India) Lieut.-Colonel G.P. Vanier, D.S.O., M.C. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada) Captain A.P.O. White (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia) V. G. Housden, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand) The Hon. Sir Edgar Bowring K.C.M.G. (High Commissioner for Newfoundland) Rudyard Kipling, Esq. Admiral Sir Morgan Singer, K.C.B., K.C.V.O. J.J. Lawson, Esq., M.P.
There were also present: Colonel Sir George Badgerow, C.M.G., C.V.O., M.D., F.R.C.S. (Canada) Lieut.-Colonel C.E. Hughes, C.B.E. Lieut.-Colonel C.P. Oswald, O.B.E. (Assistant Secretary, Finance) Lieut.-Colonel H.F. Robinson, C.M.G. (Director of Works) Major H.F. Chettle, C.M.G., O.B.E., (Director of Records) F.C. Sillar F. Tyrrell B.S. Conyngham Greene |