Content Note | Topics covered:
Circulation, approval, and signing of the Minutes of the 256th Meeting.
Review Of Recent Events Mention that the Supplemental Charter had been granted under which the Government of India had power to appoint the High Commissioner for India as their representative on the Commission. A letter had been received from Lady Lily Greene, Mr Conyngham Greene's mother, thanking the Commission for their message of sympathy conveyed to her after the last meeting. Major Menzies, who had been the Commission's Area Superintendent in Greece for many years, had arrived in England for medical treatment. Mention that the Emperor of Ethiopia had granted Addis Ababa Cemetery to the Commission and was negotiating with the Vatican for the cemetery at Harar, which was papal property. The 42nd Meeting of the District Inspectors had been held at Wooburn House on the 2nd March. The ceremony of sounding the "Last Post" at Brookwood on Sunday, March 5th, by trumpeters of the Air Training Corps, had been attended by 13 representatives of five different Allied Forces, those of the United States, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France and Poland. Reports received from General Williams stating that horticultural work was proceeding in the cemeteries in the Eastern District. Major Cameron had recently been appointed Area Superintendent for Palestine and Syria. General Williams had also reported that on Armistice Day wreaths were placed on the War Stone in Cairo War Memorial cemetery and that 660 visitors had signed the visitors book in Jerusalem Cemetery in October, and 423 in November.
New Construction At Brookwood Military Cemetery Welcome to Edward Maufe and discussion about the new construction planned at Brookwood Military Cemetery, with comments about the general layout, planned shrine/Records House, flags, the Cross of Sacrifice, and horticulture in the cemetery.
Report Of The 301st Meeting Of The Finance Committee Adoption of the report of the Finance Committee, with reference to: Item 6, which dealt with appointments in North and East Africa, Tunisia, and Italy. Also refers to item dealing with the question of manpower, referring to proposed hut to accommodate the Service War Dead and Final Verification sections of the Records Department at Wooburn House.
Graves In Sweden Comment from Vice-Chairman that the paper did not call for discussion at the meeting but showed progress of the work in Sweden. Staff Interned In Germany And France Discussion regarding the legal view and the Commission’s legal responsibilities for its staff members interned in Germany and France.
Staff Of The Commission – Conditions Of Service Update from Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson on his investigations into the conditions of service of the staff at Wooburn House, referring to unhappiness due to lack of promotional or pay increase prospects, difference in treatment of Commission staff compared to Civil Service, rates of pay within the Civil Service, problems of the Commission staff being so small.
Date Of Next Meeting The next meeting would be held on Wednesday 12 April 1944 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) V. C. Duffy Esq., M.V.O. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia) C. Knowles Esq., C.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand) I.T. Meyer Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa) D. James Davies Esq., C.B.E. (Representing the Government of Newfoundland) Sir Samuel Runganadhan (High Commissioner for India) Lieut.-Colonel S.J. Cole, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies) General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. Colonel Sir John Shute, C.M.G., D.S.O., J.P., M.P.
There were also present: Lieut.-Colonel Sir Frederic Kenyon, G.B.E., K.C.B. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Herbert Ellissen, C.B.E. (Adviser on Post-War Organisation and Reconstruction) Edward Maufe Esq., A.R.A. (Principal Architect, United Kingdom) Major the Earl of Courtown, O.B.E. (D.A.A.G., D.G.R.& E.) Lieut.-Colonel F. Higginson, C.M.G. (Controller and Director of Works) Lieut.-Colonel H.F. Chettle, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Director of Records) F.C. Sillar Esq. (Assistant Secretary, Finance) Captain F. Tyrrell, M.B.E. Lieut. O.D. Holt |