| Content Note | Topics covered:
Circulation, approval, and signing of the Minutes of the 281st Meeting of the Commission.
Apologies for absence received from Sir John Shute, the Adjutant General and Sir Frederic Kenyon.
Reminder from the Vice-Chairman to members to send notification in writing when unable to attend Commission meetings.
Review Of Recent Events
Retirement of Mr Vincent Massey from the Office of High Commissioner (for Canada) in London. Mentions Mr Massey had been a member of the Commission- since 1935 and of the Finance Committee since 1944.
Letter received from Charge d’Affaires at the Belgian Embassy in London received in reply to the Commission’s letter of condolence on the death of the alte Baron de Cartier de Marchienne.
Announcement that Mr F.C. Sillar, a member of the Commission’s staff since 1919, had been awarded a C.B.E. in the Birthday Honours.
On Sunday 26 May, Mr Walter Nash, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand accompanied Sir Arthur Longmore to Brookwood Military Cemetery and visited the new Zealand plot.
Annual American Memorial Day services were held at Brookwood and Madingley on May 30th.
Opening of the Canadian Records and Reception Building at Brookwood took place on Empire Day.
Mentions members received copies of Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson’s report on his recent visit, with the Controller, to Central European District.
Major-General Sir John Kennedy had written to say that the South Europe Commission of the War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John had presented to the Commission 33 gramophones and 100 boxes of needles for the use of the staff employed at Military Cemeteries.
The Vice-Chairman had had an interview with General Mott, American Battle Monuments Commission, and with Colonel Odell, Chief of the Grave Registration Commission in the European Theatre, where appreciation expressed for help received from both Directorate and the Commission and the ABMC would be responsible for designing, constructing and maintaining the new American cemeteries and memorials in Europe.
Admiral de Ponteves, Vice-President of the Souvenir Francais, had visited the French graves in the United Kingdom.
Major Kayser, the Commission's Legal Assistant in the Central European District, had visited The Hague the previous month, and had a friendly and successful interview With Mr van Teuil, Chief of the Graves Services, at the Netherlands War Ministry.
Letter in the Times where a number of local people in Calvados had expressed they wished to look after British graves there and were inviting relatives to get in touch with them.
Colonel Murphy and Major Housden, Inspector for the South-Eastern District, attended the Annual Conference of the National Association of Cemetery and Crematorium Superintendents held at Brighton the previous week.
The following cemeteries had been recently handed over to the Commission; Secqueville-en-Bessin British Cemetery (1 April); Kasterlee, Valkenswaard and Mierlo cemeteries (15 June).
Wages Of Staff In The Central European District
Update on the question of wages of gardening staff in France and Belgium, reporting that attempts had been unsuccessful and the Transport and General Workers' Union, on behalf of the men, had declined to accept the rates which, with the Commission's authority, the Finance Committee had proposed and had asked that the matter should be submitted to arbitration and would therefore go before the Industrial Court.
Report Of The 326th Meeting Of The Finance Committee
Adoption of the report of the Finance Committee, referring to:
Item 2, which referred to the proposed expenditure of £800 on the postage and repainting of wooden crosses in the United Kingdom.
Item 7, which concerned expenditure on the permanent construction of the Service Plot in a churchyard in Norfolk in which His Majesty the King took a personal interest.
Item 9 (2) (b), which referred to an increase in the salary of Count Memmo, Italian Liaison Officer in Southern European District.
Item 10, which referred to repairs to name panels on the Menin Gate.
Membership Of The Iraq Committee
Resolution for the appointment of the following members of the Iraq Committee of the Imperial War Graves Commission: Sayid Antoine Shammas, Head of the Legal Drafting Department, and Sayid Abdul Hamid Raf'at, Director-General of the Ministry of the Interior.
Graves In Spain
Resolution that the concentration of the war graves of 1939-1945 in Spain into one cemetery for each of five Consular Districts be approved and that action be taken to carry it into effect.
Superannuation Scheme: Assignment of Commission’s Policies
Resolution for the assignment of the Commission’s policies to John Edward Challoner, late Gardner-Caretaker.
Superannuation Scheme: Assignment of Commission’s Policies
Resolution for the assignment of the Commission’s policies to Head Gardener-Caretaker L. Randall.
Superannuation Scheme: Assignment of Commission’s Policies
Resolution for the assignment of the Commission’s policies to Head Gardener G.M. Simpson.
Australian Government Memorials – Conversion Of Stock
Resolution that the Seal of the Commission be affixed to, and the Proper Officer sign an application to the Bank of England for the conversion of the Commission's holding of £1,284. 12. 5d 2 ½ per cent National War Bonds 1946-1948 into an equal amount of 2 ½ per cent Savings Bonds 1964-1967.
Report On A Visit To Central European District (9 – 18 May 1946) By General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson
Account of Sir Robert’s visit to France and Belgium, including comments about high quality of maintenance and men employed by the Commission, difficult living conditions, and causes of pay stoppages.
Brief discussion about the Army Benevolent Fund and question of removal expenses as well as the extent of control exercised by the Commission’s headquarters over its staff in Central European District.
Supply Of Photographs To Staff
Discussion regarding guidance and support for Red Cross in taking photographs of individual graves for relatives.
Also comments that relatives appreciated photographs of the temporary wooden crosses supplied by Graves Registration Service and expected widespread demand for photographs when permanent headstones were erected.
Representative Of The Secretary Of State For Colonies On The Commission
Farewell from Colonel Cole and reflection on his time with the Commission and his retirement.
Date Of Next Meeting
It was agreed the next meeting would be held on Thursday 18 July 1946.
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 E.H. Jones, D.C.M., E.D. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
V.C. Duffy, Esq., M.V.O. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
E.A. Broadbridge, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
R. Petrie, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
J.L. Murphy, Esq., O.B.E. (Representing the Government of Newfoundland)
Lieut.-Colonel S.J. Cole, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
Sir Samuel Runganadhan (High Commissioner for India)
General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, V.C., K.C.B.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, G.C.B., D.S.O.
Colonel The Rt. Hon. The Lord Wigram, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., C.S.I.
The Rt. Hon. Sir Richard Hopkins, G.C.B.
There were also present:
Lieut.-Colonel Sir Herbert Ellissen (Adviser on Post-War Organisation and Reconstruction)
Sir William Halcrow, M. Inst., C.E. (Honorary Consulting Engineer)
Brigadier A.W. Holbrook, C.B.E., M.C. (Director of Graves Registration and Enquiries, War Office)
Brigadier F. Higginson, C.M.G. (Controller)
Lieut.-Colonel H.F. Chettle, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Assistant Secretary, Records)
F.C. Sillar, Esq. C.B.E. (Assistant Secretary, Finance)
Brigadier J.K. McNair, C.B.E.
Captain H.P.R. Foster (Legal Assistant)
Captain O.D. Holt |