| Content Note | Topics discussed:
Matters arising out of the minutes of the 352nd Commission meeting:
a) Letter received from the Private Secretary of the Duke of Edinburgh regarding the unveiling of the Chatham Naval Memorial.
b) Summary of the unveiling of the Liverpool Memorial.
c) Report on Remembrance Day ceremonies at Paris, Brussels and London and Amsterdam and the BBC broadcast talk by the Chairman.
Visit to Italy by Mr Edmund Blunden
Refers to a visit to Italy by Mr Edmund Blunden and his wife and that he had conveyed his views about the Commission’s work in an article in the Times dated 8 November 1952.
Visit to cemeteries in Germany by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore
Report on visit to cemeteries in Germany by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, G.C.B., D.S.O., including comments about the design for Hamburg Cemetery, suggestion for a Stone of Remembrance at Kiel in place of the dipping well, as well as comments about the condition of cemeteries at Soltau, Celle and Hanover.
Mr J.P. Sigvaldason, Esq.
Mention of the meeting being the last instance attended by Mr J.P. Sigvaldason, Esq., representing the High Commissioner for Canada, with comments about his recent tour of cemeteries in the Commission’s North-West European and French districts, including his views on the shelter building at Jonkerbos, construction at Adegem, the height of the steps at Beny-sur-Mer, and the complexity of scattered graves in communal cemeteries and churchyards in France.
Jerusalem War Cemetery
Brief discussion regarding the desirability of asking the Foreign Secretary to raise the issue of gaining access to Jerusalem War Cemetery with the governments of Israel and Jordan.
Report of the 397th Finance Committee meeting
Item 2 dealt with changes in the establishment that would result in certain economies.
Item 6 dealt with the erection of headstones in Algeria, Tunisia, and Tripolitania.
Item 7 referred to the levelling of plots and the construction of headstone foundations in various cemeteries in Algeria.
Item 17 referred to various staff changes in the Works Staff within the Commission’s French District.
First meeting of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee
Mention that the first meeting of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee was successful.
Modification of sketch designs for cemeteries in Germany
Refers to the omission of a Stone of Remembrance from the design for Sage War Cemetery and the inclusion of one in Kiel War Cemetery.
Proposal of the Government of Sierra Leone to replace the name panels on the Freetown Memorial (1914-1918) - Refers to a proposal to erect replacement panels commemorating the dead of both the 1914-1918 and the 1939-1945 Wars.
Examination of modified sketch designs for the El Alamein Memorial to the Missing, namely the scaling down of the memorial.
Examination of sketch design for cemetery design for Chittagong War Cemetery, Pakistan.
49th (West Riding) Infantry Divisional Memorial, Fontenay-le-Pesnel, Normandy, France
Resolution for the transfer of stock for the maintenance of 49th (West Riding) Infantry Divisional Memorial at Fontenay-le-Pesnel, Normandy, France.
40th Quarterly Report for the maintenance of war graves in the United Kingdom
Unveiling of the Cross of Sacrifice at Montrose Cemetery
Photograph of Exeter Higher Cemetery
Mention by Sir Patrick Spens, K.B.E., Q.C., M.P. that 5000 headstones had been erected in the UK.
Delay in erecting headstones in Yorkshire.
Progress report of the quarter ended 30 September 1952
Mentions the Commission took note of this report.
General notes
Mentions the Commission took note of the report submitted.
Talk by Brigadier A.E. Brown, Secretary-General of the Commission’s Anzac Agency
Summary of Brigadier Brown’s introduction to the role and the scope of the Agency’s work; concentration of graves in Java and Sumatra; cost of maintenance in the Agency’s area; work in Borneo; proposal for unveiling ceremonies at Port Moresby, Lae and Rabaul; publicity about the Commission’s work in Australia.
Yokohama War Cemetery
Discussion with regards to the proposal of acquiring extra land at Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan.
Meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers in London
Refers to upcoming meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers in London and whether the Commission’s work could be mentioned at the meeting.
Date of next meeting scheduled for Thursday 18 December 1952 at 11:00am.
ATTENDEES:
Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Smith, V.C., K.C.B., D.L. (Vice-Chairman in the Chair)
J.P. Sigvaldason, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
His Excellency the Hon. Sir Thomas White, K.B.E., D.F.C., V.D.
(High Commissioner for Australia, accompanied by W.H. Bunning, Esq.)
Major-General W.B. 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 K.A. Rashid (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
Trafford Smith, Esq., C.M.G. (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, G.C.B., D.S.O.
The Rt. Hon. Sir Richard Hopkins, G.C.B.
Sir Patrick Spens, K.B.E., Q.C., M.P.
General Sir John Crocker, G.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.
George Sylvester, Esq., M.P.
ADVISERS:
Sir William Halcrow, M. Inst. C.E. (Consulting Engineer)
Edward Maufe, Esq., R.A., F.R.I.B.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. LL.B (Legal Adviser)
O.D. Holt, Esq. (Principal, Secretarial Branch)
A.S. Laing, Esq. (Private Secretary to the Secretary)
Brigadier A.E. Brown (Secretary-General to the Anzac Agency)
W.K.K. Kinnear, Esq., M.B.E. (Chief Administrative Officer, United Kingdom District) |