Record

Unique IDCWGC/2/2/1/327
File NumberWG 1831/269
TitleCOMMISSION MEETING NO.327 - June 1950
Multimedia

85\dc9648-d829-4080-9f90-4a1df747ebc1.pdf

DescriptionMinutes of the 327th Meeting of the Commission
Content NoteTopics discussed:

Apologies for absence:
Lord Wigram
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore
Sir Patrick Spens
Mr Moore (on behalf of the Minister of Works)
Sir William Halcrow

Prague (Olsany) Cemetery, Czechoslovakia
Update regarding the question of the refusal of the Czechoslovak Government to grant a visa to the Commission's representative to visit Prague.

Birthday Honours
G.C.B. awarded to General Sir James S. Steele, Adjutant-General to the Forces
M.B.E. awarded to F.R. Dorrington, Officer in Charge, Staff Records and Superannuation, at the Commission's Head Office at Wooburn Green
British Empire Medal awarded to C.A. Batty, Travelling Superintendent Gardener, Germany

Visit of the Resident Minister for Australia in London to Villers-Bretonneux
Mention of visit to Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial by Resident Minister for Australia in London His Excellency Mr. E.J. Harrison and his wife on 4 July 1950.

High Commissioner for South Africa
Mention that Dr A. Geyer had assumed office as High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa.

Visit of the Secretary of State for Scotland Hector MacNeil to Hautot-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery
Mentions visit by Mr MacNeil accompanied by the Solicitor-General for Scotland and the Permanent Under-Secretary of State to Hautot-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery, France on 11 June 1950. Comment that the High Commissioner for Canada received a letter from Mr McNeil describing the appearance of the cemetery.

Vice-Chairman's visit to Arras
Report regarding visit to Arras by the Vice-Chairman Admiral Martin Dunbar-Smith, V.C., K.C.B. for the purpose of attending the annual Sports Gathering of the staff of the French District; including comments about the new Estaires office and the restored Indian Memorial at Neuve-Chapelle.

South African Agency
Mention of letter of appreciation from I.T. Meyer following his appointment as a member of the Commission’s South African Agency.

Inscriptions on Canadian headstones
Discussion regarding inscriptions on Canadian headstones, particularly with regards to the Canadian Government’s decision to not have regimental titles included on headstones of infantry and armoured corps.

Graves in Iceland
Mention that Mr A. Macfarlane had returned from his visit to Iceland: comments on construction at Fossvogur Cemetery, Reykjavik and inspection of graves at Akureyri.

Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia
Mention that the Commission’s caretaker at Ambon War Cemetery had been forced to leave due to local disturbances in the area.

Report of the 371st Finance Committee meeting.
Item 10 recommended the renovation of the tablet in Westminster Abbey.
Item 18 recommended the acceptance of tenders for the construction of four cemeteries in Denmark.

Portsmouth Naval Memorial Extension
Refers to the approval of Edward Maufe’s design of Portsmouth Naval Memorial Extension; a perspective drawing of which was on view and small copied laid on the table at the meeting.

Proposed memorial to the Royal Naval Patrol Service at Lowestoft
Refers to competition for the design of the proposed Memorial to the Royal Naval Patrol Service (1939-1945) at Lowestoft and notes selection of design executed by Mr. F.H. Crossley, F.R.I.B.A.

Examination of sketch design by Colin St. Clair Oakes, Esq., M.B.E., F.R.I.B.A., Principal Architect for India, Pakistan and South-East Asia, for Digboi War Cemetery, India.

Resolution for signature of leases of cemetery sites in India.

Ipswich Cemetery, Suffolk
Resolution for deeds of Grant in duplicate granting to the Commission the exclusive burial rights in the Service Plot in Ipswich Cemetery, Suffolk.

Items of interest
Account of the visit of His Excellency Mr. H.T. Andrews, the Ambassador of the Union of South Africa in Paris to cemeteries and memorials in northern France, including Delville Wood (South African) Memorial
Handover of the plot in Mollendal Church Cemetery, Bergen, Norway
Visit by the Honourable P.C. Spender, M.P., Minister for External Affairs in the Australian Government to Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, New Guinea
Condition of Gilgil Military Cemetery and acquisition of sites by the Kenyan Government on the Commission’s behalf.

Date of next meeting scheduled for Thursday 20 July 1950 at 11:00am.

ATTENDEES:
Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Smith, V.C., K.C.B. (Vice-Chairman in the Chair)
J.P. Sigvaldason, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
J.D. McAteer, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Major-General W.G. Stevens, C.B., C.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
H.J. Neethling, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
W.B. England, Esq., M.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Captain J.T. Chopping (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
J.E. Marnham, Esq., M.C. (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
The Right Hon. Sir Richard Hopkins, G.C.B.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Herbert Ellissen, C.B.E.
General Sir James S. Steele, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., M.C.

ADVISERS:
Edward Maufe, Esq., R.A. (Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser)

SECRETARY:
F. Higginson, Esq., C.M.G. (Secretary)

Also in attendance:
F.C. Sillar, Esq., C.B.E. (Principal Assistant Secretary)
W.J. Chalmers, Esq. (Assistant Secretary)
O.D. Holt, Esq. (Principal, Secretarial Branch)
Date22/5/1950 - 26/8/1950
Extent1 file
CollectionArchive
CategoryMeeting Notes
ArchNotePlease note that the downloadable document is the final version of the Committee Meeting minutes. Additional information, including the verbatim minutes and subsidiary reports, may be available in the physical file.
Add to My Items