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Minutes of the last meeting approved.
Apologies received from Sir John Kennedy, Admiral Dunbar-Nasmith and Mr Duffy, who were prevented from attending the meeting.
Announcement of the death of Sir Edgar Bowring.
Resolution for the appointment of a committee consisting of the following members: General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, Colonel Sir John. Shute, Mr Lawson and Mr MacLeod to assist and advise the Vice-Chairman.
Review Of Recent Events
Announcement that Mr. A. Lewis Watson, Assistant Secretary-General. to the·' Commission's Canadian Agency, had been awarded the M.B.E. in the Birthday Honours list.
Refers to Brigadier Sir Herbert Hart, who was shortly retiring from the Commission's service to return to his home in New Zealand. A letter of appreciation was read out from the President of the Commission, the Duke of Gloucester, who had written to Brigadier Hart on learning of his retirement.
Nomination of Major-General T.R. Williams, C.M.G., D.S.O. as Brigadier Hart’s successor in Eastern District.
Mr Worthington, newly appointed Principal Architect for Egypt and North Africa, would be leaving shortly for Cairo.
The South African Agency had been invited to take over the care of present war graves in Madagascar and to send a representative to the Island to report on the Commission's probable commitments there.
The Commission was also in touch with the Emperor of Ethiopia about probable maintenance for war graves there.
Brief mention of the Vice-Chairman’s recent tour of inspection or cemeteries in the north and west of England.
Lord Davidson, Chairman of the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association, had mentioned to the Vice-Chairman a proposal that the civilian dead should not be commemorated by monuments but by gardens of remembrance laid out on the site of bombed buildings.
Report Of The 296th Meeting Of The Finance Committee
Adoption of the Report of the Finance Committee, with reference to the appointment of Mr Worthington, Sir Herbert Hart and General Williams.
Representation Of The Government Of India On The Commission
Discussion regarding the proposal of the Government of India that the representation of India on the Commission should be similar to that of the Dominions and that the High Commissioner in the United Kingdom should replace the Secretary of State.
Appointment Of Horticultural Adviser
Resolution that Professor E. J. Salisbury, F.R.S., be appointed Horticultural Adviser to the Commission in succession to the late Sir Arthur Hill, K.C.M.G., F.R.S.
British Seamen Serving In Foreign Ships
Refers to the Commission’s assumption that the nationality of a merchant seaman followed the flag he sailed under; but in the present war British and Allied shipping and seamen had been so completely pooled that it was necessary, while preserving the old definition, to include also very many British, Dominion and Colonial seamen who lost their lives in foreign vessels.
The paper would be revised and sent to the High Commissioners for communication to their respective Governments.
Negotiations With Allied Representatives
Refers to paper and the case of a Norwegian seaman who had deserted from a Dutch merchant vessel and had died while serving on a Danish ship sailing with the British Merchant Navy.
Reply from Colonel Chettle that the only solution (in the special circumstances of the Danish Merchant Navy) was to mark the grave as that of a United Kingdom merchant seaman.
Maintenance Of War Graves U.K. 3rd Quarterly Report
Update that some 38,000 graves of present war in the United Kingdom had been marked.
Ulster Memorial, Thiepval
Resolution that the Seal of the Commission be affixed to and the Proper Officer sign the stock transfer relating to the purchase by the Commission of £250 (nominal) 32 per cent Conversion Stock from John Esmond Longuet-Higgins.
Authority For The Use Of The Commission’s Seal
Refers to resolutions in respect of the grave of Flight Lieutenant D. J. Fletcher, N.Z.A.F., No. Church C. 38-5 in Plymouth Old Cemetery, and also empowering H.M. Consul at Shiraz, Persia, to sell the present British cemetery at Shiraz and purchase other land locally for the reception of the graves.
Appointment Of Secretary To A.E.W.C.C. the A.P.W.C.E.C. and the Iraq Committee of the Imperial War Graves Commission
Resolution that Major-General T.R. Williams, C.M.G., D.S.O. be appointed Secretary to the Anglo-Egyptian War Cemeteries Committee; Secretary to the Anglo-Palestine War Cemeteries Executive Committee; and Secretary to the Iraq Committee of the Imperial War Graves Commission.
Graves Of Members Of British Honduras Forestry Unit
Discussion regarding whether the Commission would mark the graves of members of the British Honduras Forestry Unit enlisted to fell timber in the United Kingdom.
Payment For Personal Inscriptions
Discussion regarding the question over whether payment was necessary for personal inscriptions, with reference to communications with the New Zealand Government on the matter.
The next meeting would be held on 18 August 1943 at 11.30. a.m.
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)
E. MacLeod, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
C. Knowles, Esq., C.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
I.T. Meyer, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Colonel C.E.T. Erskine, C.I.E., D.S.O., M.C. (Representing the Secretary of State for India)
Lieut.-Colonel S.J. Cole, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
The Rt. Hon. Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, K.G.
J.J. Lawson, Esq., M.P.
General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
Colonel Sir John Shute, C.M.G., D.S.O., T.D., M.P., D.L., J.P.
There were also present:
Lieut.-Colonel Sir Frederic Kenyon, C.B.E., K.C.B., T.D., D.Litt.
Lieut.-Colonel Sir Herbert Ellissen, C.B.E. (Adviser on Post-War Organisation and Reconstruction)
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)
Captain F. Tyrrell, M.B.E
F.C. Sillar, Esq. (Assistant Secretary, Finance)
Lieut. O.D. Holt |