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Circulation, approval, and signing of the Minutes of the 234th Meeting.
Mentions the Vice-Chairman, speaking to Mr Duffy, conveyed congratulations to the Second A.I.F. in Libya, adding many had given their lives and the Commission would not forget them.
Announcement of the death of Major A.K. Vickery in Jerusalem after an operation. Major Vickery had been one of the Australian officers who were at work in the cemeteries on the Gallipoli Peninsula from the moment of the Armistice with Turkey, and from that date he had given devoted service to the Commission.
Mentions the Vice-Chairman referred to two Reports on the withdrawal of Commission staff from France and Belgium, with comment from Colonel Oswald that little more than 200 had not returned and it was believed that 40 of these were prisoners.
Mentions a Committee representing the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris, acting in conjunction with the Board of Trade, had taken up the interests of former British residents in France and would deal with matters such as loss of property and personal losses.
Update on Memorials in France and Belgium which, on the whole, were in good condition.
Mentions that arrangements were made through the American diplomatic representatives, with the full consent of the Head of the Italian War Graves Service, under which Count Memmo, the Secretary-General of the Anglo-Italian Mixed Committee and late Area Superintendent in Italy, would continue the maintenance of the British graves with the existing staff.
Reports Of The 286th And 287th Meeting Of The Finance Committee
Adoption of both Reports of the Finance Committee, with reference to: the Accounts of the Trustees of the Endowment Fund; the Estimates for Expenditure and a proposed Reserve Fund; and the expenditure on present war graves in Egypt, including erection of temporary wooden crosses on behalf of the War Office.
General Report No. 2 – October-December, 1940
Mentions Sir George Macdonogh called attention to mistakes in the second paragraph and resolution that, with amendments to paragraph 2, the report would be received and entered on the Minutes.
Works Department Report
The Vice-Chairman referred to the report which had been circulated to the members, and in particular to the difficulties now overcome in obtaining wooden crosses for graves in the United Kingdom and to the necessity or replacing headstones in Egypt.
Anglo-Egyptian War Cemeteries Committee: Appointment Of New Member
Resolution for the appointment of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Murray Longmore, K.C.B., D.S.O. as a member of the Anglo-Egyptian War Cemeteries Committee, in succession to Air-Marshal Sir William G.S. Mitchell, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., A.F.C.
Authority For Use Of Seal
Resolution for the affixing of the Commission’s seal for the following documents:
a) Petition for licence in mortmain for the purchase of Wooburn House.
b) Assignment of Commission's Policy No. 137311 with the National Provident Institution to Miss Betsy Stuart.
c) Assignment of Commission's Policy No. 139533 with the National Provident Institution to Mr. Walter Evans.
d) Assignment of I.W.G.C. Policy No. 114746 with the National Provident Institution to Mr. Claude Vincent Oakley.
e) Assignment of Commission Policies Nos. 105087, 108057, 152719 and 178024 with the Atlas Assurance Company to Mr. Thomas Henry Allen.
Civilian War Dead
Discussion and update on the recent negotiations on the subject of Civilian War Dead, namely that the Governments had agreed that the Commission was the proper body to collect names of civilians who died in the UK as a result of enemy action and to make recommendations to the Government as to whether any national commemoration would be carried out.
Refers to value of contacting next-of-kin and obtaining further details of casualties from the First World War, the Supplemental Charter extending the purposes and powers of the Commission to officers and men of the Air Forces and to civilian dead from enemy action and increasing the unofficial membership of the Commission.
Also refers to the situation at Coventry where there was a long trench in which a number of civilians and three soldiers were buried.
Refers to the impending reappointment of Colonel Oswald as Controller and as Secretary to the Finance Committee on the basis of half-time attendance, and the consequent promotion of Mr Sillar to the position of Assistant Secretary, Finance.
Attendees:
Major-General Sir Fabian Ware, K.C.V.O., K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G., LL.D. (Vice-Chairman, in the Chair)
Colonel C.E.T. Erskine, C.I.E., D.S.O., M.C. (Representing the Secretary of State for India)
E. MacLeod, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
V.C. Duffy, Esq., M.V.O. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
W.G. Parminter, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Lieut.-General Sir George Macdonogh, G.B.E., K.C.B., K.C.M.G.
J.J. Lawson, Esq., M.P.
W.P Spens, Esq. O.B.E., K.C., M.P.
Major-General Sir John Kennedy, K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
There were also present:
Lieut.-Colonel Sir Frederic Kenyon, G.B.E., K.C.B.
Colonel C.P. Oswald, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Controller and Assistant Secretary, Finance)
Lieut.-Colonel H.F. Chettle, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Director of Records)
Lieut.-Colonel F. Higginson, C.M.G. (Director of Works)
Captain Frank Tyrrell, M.B.E.
Second Lieutenant O.D. Holt |