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Mr Paul Martin, Mr A P Hockaday, Mr G D Malcolm, and Mr T F Wheeler The Chairman welcomed Mr Martin, High Commissioner for Canada, Mr Hockaday, representing the Secretary of State for Defence, Mr Malcolm, representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand and Mr Wheeler, representing the Ambassador of South Africa, who were all attending a Commission Meeting for the first time.
Mr Peter Shepheard and Sir Edward Goschen Welcome extended to Mr Peter Shepheard, the Commission's new Artistic Adviser, and Sir Edward Goschen who had recently been appointed a Member of the Commission.
Dr Carel de Wet Announcement that Dr Carel de Wet, Ambassador for South Africa and a Member of the Commission since 1972, had relinquished his appointment and had been replaced by Mr Matthys Botha.
New Years Honours LIst Announcement that in the New Year Honours List Sir John Bunting, High Commissioner for Australia, had been appointed KBE. Announcement that Colonel L S Harrop, Local Supervisor, Japan, had been appointed MBE. Announcement that Mr F Baker, a Head Gardener 1st Class in North West Europe Area had been awarded the BEM.
Lord Wallace of Coslany Announcement that Lord Wallace of Coslany had been appointed a Lord-in-Waiting.
Mr David Griffiths Announcement of the death of Mr David Griffiths who had been a Member of the Commission from 1962 until 1970.
Matters Arising from the Minutes of the 527th Meeting a) Update on Pakistan's Membership of the Commission. b) Update on Rangoon War Cemetery. c) Update on acquisition of land at Brookwood Military Cemetery, which had been completed. d) Update on estimates, especially concerning amounts required in supplementary contributions. e) Update on ruined memorial at Port Tewfik, Egypt.
Vice-Chairman of the Commission Approval of the proposal that General Sir Noel Thomas's appointment as Vice-Chairman be extended for a further three years.
Adoption of the Report of the 569th Meeting of the Finance Committee Item 2 referred to changes to the audit of the Commission's accounts. Item 4 referred to the air conditioning system in Head Office. Item 5 concerned work planned at Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery and Memorial. Item 6 referred to the re-mixed soundtrack for the Commission film.
Membership of the Finance Committee Agreement that the proposal for the appointment of the High Commissioner for India as a member of the Finance Committee is extended for one year from 1 April 1977 to 31 March 1978.
The Liverpool Memorial Update on the project to demolish the existing Liverpool Memorial and replace it with a new one, with discussion about maintenance and materials used in the construction of the new memorial.
Commonwealth- Foreign Joint Committees: Appointment of Members. Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee: His Excellency Mr G K Ansell (New Zealand Ambassador, Brussels) Commonwealth-French Joint Committee: Mr T F Wheeler (Counsellor, South African Embassy, London)
Annual Report Of Exhumations And Reinterments Carried Out In 1976 Refers to report as part of Item 6 of the meeting and mentions no resolution required.
Unmaintainable Graves – Winshill (St Mark) Churchyard, Staffordshire Approval of the proposal to commemorate one burial of the 1914-1918 War in Winshill (St Mark) Churchyard, Staffordshire by the erection of a special memorial headstone, suitably superscribed, in the same churchyard.
Unmaintainable Graves - Brierfield (Providence) Old Congregational Chapelyard, Lancashire Approval of the proposal to commemorate 1 burial of the 1914-1918 War in Brierfield (Providence) Old Congregational Chapelyard, Lancashire by the re-erection of the existing headstone, suitably superscribed, in Nelson Cemetery.
Authorisation for the Execution of Documents Agreement that Parts 1, 2 and 3 of Resolution No 7 adopted at the 469th Meeting of the Commission on 21 March 1963, Parts (i) and (ii) of Resolution No 11 adopted at the 499th Meeting of the Commission on 18 December 1969, and Parts b i and b ii of Resolution No 7 adopted at the 506th Meeting of the Commission on 30 September 1971 are hereby rescinded but without prejudice to the validity of any document executed prior to the date hereof in accordance with an authority given by those Resolutions or any of them and so that any such document shall remain of full force and effect as heretofore. Agreement that authority is hereby given for the Seal of the Commission to be affixed to, and for a Proper Officer for the time being of the Commission to sign, any instrument which may require to be executed by the Commission under its common seal, as certified by the Commission's Legal Adviser and Solicitor for the time being. Agreement for a Proper Officer for the time being of the Commission to sign on behalf of the Commission any instrument, agreement, contract or other document which may require to be executed by the Commission but not under its common seal, as certified by the Commission's Legal Adviser and Solicitor for the time being. Agreement for the Directors for the time being of each of the following administrative Areas established by the Commission, namely France Area, Eastern Mediterranean Area, North Africa Area, North West Europe Area , and Western Mediterranean Area to sign on behalf of the Commission any instrument, agreement, contract or other document which may require to be executed by the Commission but not under its common seal in connection with the discharge of the Commission's functions within the Area concerned.
Execution Of Documents Confirmation of the action for the execution by the Commission or on its behalf of the documents, Serial Nos Part I 538 and 539 and Part 11 128 and 129, referred to in the Schedule laid before the Meeting and signed for identification by the Commission's Legal Adviser and Solicitor.
Canadian National Memorial, Vimy Update on maintenance work on the Canadian National Memorial at Vimy, with comments about deterioration of stonework and the preservation of the avenue of maple trees.
Director-General's Tour in South Asia, South-East Asia, Australasia, and the Pacific Report on the success of the Director- General's Tour in South Asia, South-East Asia, Australasia, and the Pacific, 26 September – 10 November 1976. Mentions the showing of the Commission’s film in several places.
Diary Update Report from the Secretary on his recent visit to Egypt, where he inspected damage at the Port Tewfik Memorial as well as Kantara War Memorial Cemetery. Also mentions development outside of Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery. Update on the situation at War Cemeteries in Cyprus, and on the situation at War Cemeteries in Lebanon. Note on the Chairman's visit to the Nairobi War Cemetery in January, where he had been extremely favourably impressed with everything he had seen on his visit.
Other Business Proposal to consider changing the dates of some future meetings to allow the Secretary of State to take the Chair as he would wish to do, and note that the date of the September Meeting would be changed to Wednesday, 21st.
Attendees: General Sir Noel Thomas KCB DSO MC (Vice-Chairman of the Commission) in the Chair Mr A.P. Hockaday CB CMG (Representing the Secretary of State for Defence) His Excellency The Honourable Paul Martin PC CC QC (High Commissioner for Canada) Mr F. C. Murray (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia) Mr G.D. Malcolm (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand) Mr T.F. Wheeler (Representing the Ambassador of South Africa) Brigadier J.M. Vohra SM (Representing the High Commissioner for India) Sir Robert Black GCMG OBE Miss Joan Woodgate CBE RRC Sir John Winnifrith KCB Mr Edward Gardner QC MP The Lord Wallace of Coslany Air Chief Marshall Sir John Barraclough KCB CBE DFC AFC Sir Edward Goschen Bt DSO
SECRETARY Mr A.K. Pallot CMG (Director-General)
ADVISERS Mr P. A. Scott BSc FICE (Honorary Consulting Engineer) Mr P.F. Shepheard CBE BArch PPRIBA MRTPI PPILA (Honorary Artistic Adviser)
There were also present: Mr R. H. Noyes Roberts (Canadian High Commission) Mr A.S. Laing MVO (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General (Secretariat)) Mr J. Saynor (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General (Administration)) Mr P. R. Matthew BA (Assistant Secretary, Legal Adviser and Solicitor) Mr W.H. Dukes (Director of Works) Mr W.F.W. Harding OBE Bsc(Hort) FLS (Director of Horticulture) Mr P.H.M. Swan (Director of External Relations) Mr H. Westland MIPM (Establishment Officer) Mr G. A. Cheater (Director of Information Services) Mr D. L. Ayers (Secretariat) |