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Sir George Macdonogh took the Chair; Sir Fabian Ware was expected to return to London from Egypt the following day.
Minutes of the last meeting approved.
Apologies for absence received from Mr Skinner, who had been asked to represent the High Commissioner for New Zealand at the Meeting.
President of the Commission
Announcement that, since the last Meeting, His Majesty the King had nominated H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester as President of the Commission.
Resolution passed thanking His Majesty and assuring him of the Commission’s support to the new President.
Mention that a letter was received from Frau von Seeckt thanking the Commission for their expression of sympathy on the death of General von Seeckt.
Mentions a party of British journalists visited Cairo War Cemetery and laid a wreath at the foot of the Cross of Sacrifice; Sir Herbert Hart and Major Vickery represented the Commission.
Refers to an unofficial letter from Mr. Whittington, of the Queensland Government Offices in London, stated that he had recently visited Brookwood Military Cemetery and inspected the Australian war graves there.
Announcement of the death of Lieutenant-General Rucquoy, former Honorary Member of the Anglo-Belgian Mixed Committee, on 24 January.
Mention that Major Chettle was invited to address the Hampstead Rotary Club about the Commission’s work on 26 January.
Mr Sillar visited Edinburgh and Glasgow where he showed a cinematograph film of the Commission’s work to audiences.
Announcement that Colonel Hughes had recently been appointed Australian Trade Commissioner in Egypt.
Announcement that in the Honours List published on 1 February, an M.B.E. was awarded to Major W.P.L. Arnott, Chief Clerk at Arras, and the O.B.E. was awarded to Bertie Rogers, a Head Gardener and Caretaker in Belgium.
Update on the number of visitors signing the Visitors' Books at the cemeteries and memorials during December, which was 844. The corresponding figure for 1935 was 595.
Report Of The 259th Meeting Of The Finance Committee
Resolution for the adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee, with reference to:
Item 6, where it was recommended that the Commission's costs in connection with the legal action by W.H. Bedford amounting to French francs 4.485 should be defrayed from the Commission's funds.
Item 7A, which dealt with an advance payment to Major Vickery.
Item 7B, which dealt with payment of local allowances.
Item 7D, which referred to the Meetings of the Staff Committee which had been held to consider complaints by members of the staff in France and Belgium regarding the cessation of exchange relief which would become operative on 1 April. Also discusses the recommendations of the Staff Committee with regards to: refunding staff in Central European District the cost of Passports and renewals of Passports; refunding staff in Central European District the cost of Cartes d’identite in respect of themselves, their wives and their children up to 21 years of age where children were not in employment; the expansion of the regulations with regard to leave passages; and that pupil gardeners should have the same privileges with regards to leave in the previous recommendation.
Item 5, which concerned the rate of pay to horticultural staff in Belgium and France.
Anglo-Egyptian War Graves Agreement
Update that the Chairman received a message from Mr Skinner to the effect that the High Commissioner for New Zealand had forwarded the Commission's letter and the draft Agreement to his Government with a request that when it was approved full powers should be given to Sir Miles Lampson to sign on the New Zealand Government's behalf. The Chairman said that similar letters had been addressed to the other participating Governments and Sir Fabian Ware anticipated responses would soon be received so the new Agreement would be signed.
A copy of the draft Agreement was circulated.
Graves In South Russia
Refers to the Commission’s decision in 1934 to commemorate names of those British soldiers buried in South Russia on a memorial in Haidar Pasha Cemetery at Constantinople.
Discussion regarding two proposals outlined in the Paper before the meeting:
1. To build a wall around Tiflis British Cemetery.
2. To obliterate the cemetery at Baku.
It was agreed, following discussion, to write a letter to Lord Chilston to consult him on what action to take.
Discovery And Reburial Of Bodies In France And Belgium
Update on the recovery of remains, namely that there had been a considerable drop in the figures compared With the figures of the corresponding week in the previous year.
Attendees:
Lieut.-General Sir George Macdonogh, G.B.E., K.C.B., K.C.M.G. (In the Chair)
Lieut.-Colonel A.F. Rawson Lumby, C.I.E., O.B.E. (Representing the Secretary of State for India)
G.W. Klerck, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Admiral Sir Morgan Singer, K.C.B., K.C.V.O.
The Rt.Hon. Lord Stanley, M.C., M.P.
J. J. Lawson, Esq., M.P.
General Sir Harry Knox, K.C.B., D.S.O.
There were also present:
Lieut.-Colonel C.P. Oswald, C.M.G., 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, Esq.
Captain H.P.R. Foster
F. Tyrrell, Esq., M.B.E.
B.S. Conyngham Greene, Esq.
O. Holt, Esq. |