| Content Note | Topics covered:
Circulation, agreement, and signing of the Minutes of the 238th Meeting.
Announcement of the death of Sir Arthur Hill, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the Commission’s first Horticultural Adviser, with a tribute to Sir Arthur Hill recorded in the minutes at the meeting.
Endowment Fund And Reserves – Report Of The Special Committee
Update on the Report of the Special Committee appointed at the last meeting, with a suggested resolution adopting it and authorising the offer of the available surpluses as loans at call, free of interest, to the United Kingdom Government.
Refers to proposal for the flying of Dominion flags at Brookwood Military Cemetery on certain days. Comment from Mr MacLeod that this applied equally to Canada and that the High Commissioner would arrange for a flag to be supplied.
Report Of The 289th Meeting Of The Finance Committee
Adoption of the Report, with reference to: the establishment of a Staff Canteen at Wooburn House; Christmas parcels of tobacco and cigarettes through the Red Cross for Commission staff interned in France and Germany; the Commission’s accounts for the year ended 31 March 1941; and the appointment of Mr Sillar as Assistant Secretary, Finance.
Australian National War Memorial, Canberra
Reading of the cable sent by the Vice-Chairman to the Minister of Defence, Canberra, on the occasion of the unveiling of the National War Memorial, Canberra.
Conference With Representatives Of The Allied Forces In The United Kingdom
Refers to the Report circulated of the informal conference on 1 October which had been friendly and the Allied representatives had nothing but gratitude for the Commission’s work.
Cremations
Mention that the subject would be considered at the next Commission meeting, but refers to the Report submitted at the last meeting and that Members come prepared to decide the questions raised.
Authority For Use Of The Commission’s Seal
Resolutions for the assignment of the Commission’s policies under the Superannuation Scheme to Peter Richard O’Reilly, George Williams, and Frank Nicholas Albert Coleopy.
Anglo-Italian Mixed Committee
Refers to the death of Lord Rennell of Rodd and includes resolution that the Right Hon. Sir Ronald Graham, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., be appointed as an Official Member of the Anglo-Italian Mixed Committee.
South African Agency.
Refers to the death of the late Secretary and the subsequent change in the organisation of the Agency.
Desecration Of British Cemeteries In Iraq
Refers to the discussion of the previous meeting when it was agreed for the Iraq Committee be consulted before the damage to the Crosses of Sacrifice at Baghdad and Hinaidi could be repaired. Mentions that a letter had been sent to Sir Herbert Hart.
Marking Of Graves In India
Refers to a copy of an Army Instruction for the temporary marking of the graves of British soldiers dying in India during the present war and that this raised the question of the treatment of Indian soldiers’ graves in India and of the decision taken after the last war, in deference to the Indian Government’s wishes, not to attempt to commemorate Indian soldiers dying in India, also referring to commemorative practices in Iraq and Egypt.
Mentions the Commission had always felt strongly on this question and proposed to raise the issue with the Government of India, which would be taken up at the India Office.
Refers to recent appointment of the Imperial Prisoners of War Committee, referring to an Inspection Report of a camp in Upper Silesia where about 100 internees had been members of the Commission’s staff in northern France and that there had been discussions with the German High Commission about releasing those men to return to France to their old occupations.
Next Meeting Of The Commission
The next meeting would be held at 12.00 p.m. on Wednesday 14 January 1942.
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)
C. Knowles, Esq., C.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Lieut.-General Sir George Macdonough, G.B.E., K.C.B., K.C.M.G.
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:
Colonel A.R. MacAllan, (A.A.G., D.G.R.& E.)
Colonel C.P. Oswald, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Controller)
Lieut.-Colonel H.F. Chettle, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Director of Records)
Lieut.-Colonel F. Higginson, C.M.G. (Director of Works)
F.C. Sillar, Esq. (Assistant Secretary, Finance)
Captain P.R. Foster
Captain F. Tyrrell, M.B.E.
Second Lieutenant O.D. Holt |