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Sir George Macdonogh took the Chair and the Minutes of the last Meeting were approved.
Announcement that a telegram had been received from Sir Fabian Ware stating that he had left Halifax and hoped to be in London on 16 December.
Announcement that Monsieur Desire Delansorne, Mayor of Arras since 1929, died on 17 November. A suitable letter of sympathy was sent, and Colonel Higginson represented the Commission at the funeral.
Mentions a letter was received from Lady Ryrie thanking the Commission for their message of sympathy on the death of Sir Granville Ryrie.
Mentions copies of accounts of the Ypres British School were received from Governors, with brief overview of the financial management of the school and the importance of the school to the local British community in Ypres, particularly the Commission’s staff and their families.
Brief overview of ceremonies which took place on All Souls’ Day, including at Bethune, Armentieres, Lille, Arras, Albert and other districts.
Update on the number of visitors signing the Visitors' Books in France and Belgium during October, which was 684 British and 1,461 other visitors at the cemeteries and 387 and 1,313 others at the memorials. The grand total was 3,845 as against 3,181 in October 1936 and 3,217 in October 1935.
Announcement of the death of Mr George Evans, a member of the Commission’s staff at Arras since 1924. Mentions he was buried in the small plot used by the Commission for the burial of members of their staff at the Souvenir Cemetery near St. Omer.
Report from Mr Jordan of his attendance of the International Conference at Brussels; whilst there had been invited to lay a wreath on the grave of the Belgian Unknown Soldier on Armistice Day. Also mentions he visited the Commission’s office in Ypres and received assistance in ascertaining the best means of visiting New Zealand graves in the district.
Report Of The 268th Meeting Of The Finance Committee
Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee, with reference to:
Item 5, which was the authorisation of expenditure for the provision of gas-proof accommodation in the Commission’s offices at Grosvenor Gardens.
Item 6 which dealt with the question of compensation for accidents to the Commission's staff in France.
Item 8, which dealt with the Australian Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux; the contract had been given to Messrs. Maple of Paris and the completion date had been extended.
Also refers to a letter from Sir Herbert Hart on the question of leave regulations for members of the staff in the East.
Brief summary on the question of the wages of the staff in France and Belgium, with the matter coming before the Industrial Court on 10 January.
Statement Of Accounts Of Endowment Fund
Refers to the statement of accounts of the Endowment Fund giving a sum of the total investments amounted and the various stocks held.
Glasgow Exhibition
Report of the recent exhibition at Johannesburg on the Commission’s work with suggestion a similar exhibit would be made at Glasgow.
Mentions Captain McIndoe, the Commission's Inspector in Scotland, had been asked to interview Sir Robert Bruce, a member of the Exhibition Executive Committee, with a view to finding out what steps it would be necessary to take, if an exhibit was approved.
Proposals would be submitted at a subsequent meeting on this question.
Discovery And Reburial Of Bodies In France And Belgium
Update on the recovery of remains, with the paper before the meeting noting the number of bodies found showed a considerable decrease compared with the corresponding period in 1936 and 1935.
46th (North Midland) Division Memorial, Gommecourt
Brief overview of the background of the Memorial, which had been a wooden cross carrying a bronze tablet originally erected outside the Commission’s cemetery, and was moved into the cemetery. Refers to request by the Territorial Association to replace the now dilapidated memorial with a stone memorial; it was proposed to inform the Association that this was not possible, but the bronze plaque could be fixed in a position inside the wall of the cemetery and the temporary wooden cross would be destroyed. This proposal was agreed to.
Death Of Mr E.P. Warren
Announcement and resolution of condolence in connection with the death of Mr E.P. Warren, the Commission’s Principal Architect in Iraq.
The Immortal Heritage
Refers to the Immortal Heritage being well reviewed in the press, noting the papers which had made especially favourable mention of it and noting numbers of sales of the publication.
Announcement of Sir Harry Knox’s departure and this would be the last Meeting he would attend.
Attendees:
Lieut.-General Sir George Macdonogh, G.B.E., K.C.B., K.C.M.G. (In the Chair)
The Right Hon. Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, K.G.
Lieut.-Colonel A.F. Rawson Lumby, C.I.E.,O.B.E. (Representing the Secretary of State for India)
Lieut.-Colonel G.P. Vanier, D.S.O., M.C. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
V.C. Duffy, Esq., M.V.O. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
W.J. Jordan, Esq. (High Commissioner for New Zealand)
A.L. Albright, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
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. (Controller and 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.
F. Tyrrell, Esq., M.B.E.
B.S. Conyngham Greene, Esq.
O. Holt, Esq. |