| Content Note | Topics discussed:
Approval and signing of 346th Commission meeting minutes:
A) Comments regarding publicity for the 32nd Annual Report
B) Meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts of the United Kingdom Parliament.
Maintenance of the War Graves in the U.K.: 38th Quarterly Report; Tour of the Director of Works in Tunisia, Cyrenaica, Egypt and Italy; Graves in Malaya
Death of the Prime Minister of Ceylon
Death of Mr D.S. Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of Ceylon on 22 March 1952.
Reception for members of the South African battlefield pilgrimage
Refers to reception at Church House, Westminster, on 31 May 1952, for members of the South African Battlefields Pilgrimage, 1952.
Vice-Chairman’s tour of cemeteries in Germany, Holland, Belgium and France
Refers to tour of Germany, Holland, Belgium and France by the Vice-Chairman Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Smith, V.C., K.C.B. and Principal of the Secretarial Branch O.D. Holt, Esq., during which the Vice-Chairman would attend the ceremony of rededication of the stained glass windows at Notre Dame de Lorette on 25 April 1952.
Introductions to the cemetery and memorial registers
Mention that work on the introductions to the cemetery and memorial registers for the 1939-1945 War had commenced, with Edmund Blunden undertaking the writing of the first five or six introductions himself.
Report of the 391st Finance Committee meeting
Item 1 referred to the problem of cleaning the headstones, Crosse: of Sacrifice and Stones of Remembrance in the United Kingdom.
Item 3 indicated the beginning of construction in another cemetery in Italy (Montecchio).
Item 8 dealt with the construction of the last of the four concentration cemeteries (Mudros) in India and Pakistan.
Item 9 dealt with the erection of headstones in Tunisia.
Item 17 referred to the construction of Suva War Cemetery, Fiji.
British Commonwealth- Italian War Graves agreement – Florence Arrow Route War Cemetery
Discussion regarding the British Commonwealth-Italian War Graves Agreement and the proposed removal of Florence Arrow Route War Cemetery, Italy, with comments about the issues with doing this and referring the matter to the Finance Committee.
Graves of the Korean War
Mention that the Special Committee set up to discuss Korean War graves had met on 12 March 1952 and its report and recommendations had been circulated to the Commission.
Permanent marking of War Graves in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong
Mention that around 110 graves in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong had been marked by granite headstones and the removal of these may be strongly resented locally.
Commemoration of the War Dead of Basutoland
Acceptance of design submitted by the Government of Basutoland for the Memorial to be built at Matsieng in commemoration of the War Dead of Basutoland who fell in the 1939-1945 War.
Maintenance of the War Graves in the U.K. - 38th Quarterly Report
Mention that the headstones at Harefield (St Mary) Churchyard, Middlesex, had been renovated.
Tour of Tunisia, Cyrenaica, Egypt and Italy by Major-General J.F.D. Steedman, C.B.E., M.C., Director of Works - Comments on recent tour and that decision had been reached regarding construction so that planting plans at all the Tunisian and Algerian cemeteries could be begun either this autumn, or before the following spring; also refers to staffing problems in Eastern District.
Graves in Malaya
Refers to progress with regards to the question of graves in Malaya.
Date of next meeting postponed from 15 May to 22 May 1952 at 11:00am to account for the visit by
Mention of visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester to cemeteries in Normandy the following month.
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)
Brigadier R.C. Queree, C.B.E., D.S.O. (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)
A.B. Moore, Esq. (Representing the Minister for Works)
General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, G.C.B., D.S.O.
The Rt. Hon. Sir Richard Hopkins, G.C.B.
General Sir John Crocker, G.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.
ADVISERS:
Edward Maufe, Esq., R.A. (Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser)
SECRETARY:
F. Higginson, Esq., C.M.G.
Also in attendance:
F.C. Sillar, Esq., C.B.E. (Principal Assistant Secretary)
W.J. Chalmers, Esq. (Assistant Secretary)
Major-General J.F.D. Steedman, C.B.E., M.C. (Director of Works)
H.L. Simmons, Esq. (Legal Adviser)
O.D. Holt, Esq. (Principal, Secretarial Branch)
W.K.K. Kinnear, Esq., M.B.E. (Chief Administrative Officer, United Kingdom District) |