| Content Note | Topics discussed:
Firstly refers to a letter from Major-General W.G. Stevens explaining his absence and his retirement from his position as a member of the Commission as the representative of the High Commissioner of New Zealand.
Approval and signing of the 359th Commission meeting minutes and matters arising out of the meeting minutes:
Tour of French District by General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., including comments about concentration of graves, recruitment of staff, and accommodation and housing.
Unveiling of the Fleet Air Arm memorial at Lee-on-Solent.
Jerusalem War Cemetery.
Coronation Honours
Knighthood awarded to Sir David Eccles, Minister of Works
Appointment of Sir Patrick Spens as a Privy Councillor.
C.B.E. awarded to Brigadier H.N. Obbard, Chief Administrative Officer, India, Pakistan and South-East Asia.
M.B.E. awarded to Mr H.G. Maybury, Records Officer, Head Office.
B.E.M. awarded to Mr George Oxenbridge, Head Gardener, North-West European District, and to Mr C.F. Witt, Head Gardener, French District.
Letter of Lieutenant-Governor of Malta
Refers to response letter from Trafford Smith regarding congratulatory letter sent by the Commission after the last meeting in light of his appointment as Lieutenant-Governor of Malta.
Certificates of Long and Meritorious Service
Mentions that fourteen certificates of long and meritorious service were awarded to Commission staff: three gardeners in Egypt; one in Iraq; three in Turkey; four in Italy; and one clerk and two gardeners in Greece. The lengths of service of the recipients ranged from 23 to 33 years.
Visit by Lord Mayor of Melbourne
Refers to visit to the Commission’s London Office by Councillor W.J. Brens, Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
Coronation Celebrations
Refers to a short account given about the coronation celebrations in the Commission’s French and North-West European Districts.
Ceremonies in cemeteries
Mentions the following ceremonies having taken place recently: the laying of wreaths on 29 May 1953 by the Mayors of Toronto, Windsor (Ontario), Hamilton and Wayburn, and representatives of the Mayors of Montreal and Winnipeg in Dieppe Canadian Cemetery, France; laying of wreaths in Bayeux War Cemetery and in the American cemetery at St. Laurent-sur-Mer on 30 May 1953 to commemorate American Memorial Day.
Dedication of war plot in Bilbao Cemetery, Spain
Report of work involving the dedication of the war plot in Bilbao Cemetery, Spain. A dedication Service had held at the new plot, conducted by the Archbishop of Gibraltar, it was attended by many members of the British community at Bilbao and by the Chief Administrative Officer, French District. The work of concentration had been carried out by the staff of the French District, who had received every assistance from the Spanish authorities and also from the Chairman and members of the Bilbao Cemetery Committee.
Horticultural Officers’ Conference on 18 and 21 May 1953
Mentions that the attending officials had seen a demonstration of motor mowers in Battersea Park, and had attended the unveiling of the Fleet Air Arm Memorial at Lee-on-Solent and the Chelsea Flower Show.
Report of the 404th Finance Committee meeting
Item 1 recommended the appointment of Captain C.V. Fuller, R.C.A.S.C., as Secretary-General of Canadian Agency and Mr A. Walton as Assistant Secretary-General.
Item 3 recommended expenditure on the construction of a caretaker’s quarters and accessories at the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial.
Items 14 and 15 referred to construction in Cyprus.
Item 22 recommended expenditure relating to a publication of a book of photographs referred to in the last Commission meeting.
Maintenance of Commission headstones
Discussion regarding the practice of maintaining and cleaning the Commission’s headstones, with suggestions that washing headstones could be done one every two years and a suggestion to put up guttering where a toolshed had been constructed in a cemetery to store water where needed.
Examination of sketch design for Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia.
Examination of sketch design for Milan War Cemetery, Italy.
Merchant Navy Memorial 1939-1945 Extension at Tower Hill - Agreement with Mr Edward Maufe
Resolution for Agreement with Edward Maufe, Esq., R.A., F.R.I.B.A. (Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser) regarding the Merchant Navy Memorial 1939-1945 Extension at Tower Hill, London, United Kingdom, including comments about the abandonment of Maufe’s alternative designs.
Purchase of property for Area Office at Albert, French District
Resolution for the purchase of property at No. 13, rue Victor Hugo, Albert, France for the Commission’s Area Office, French District.
General notes
Mentions that H.M.S. Sydney had been erroneously referred to as H.M.A.S. Sydney.
Date of next meeting scheduled for Thursday 16 July 1953 at 11:00am.
ATTENDEES:
Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, V.C., K.C.B., D.L. (Vice-Chairman in the Chair)
Frederic Hudd, Esq., C.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
W.H. Bunning, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
D.F. Anstree, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
W.B. England, Esq., M.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Captain K.A. Rashid (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
A.B. Moore, Esq. (Representing the Minister of 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.
George Sylvester, Esq., M.P.
ADVISERS:
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)
Squadron Leader McN. Campbell
P.J. Mackay, Esq. |