| Content Note | Topics discussed
Welcome to the Adjutant-General to the Forces General Sir Cameron Nicholson who was attending his first Commission meeting as a Member of the Commission.
Mention that Mr England had retired from his position as representative of India on the Commission.
Approval, amendment and signing of the minutes for the 365th Commission meeting and matters arising from the minutes:
A) Etaples Military Cemetery: mention that Mr Arnott, Chief Administrative Officer for French District, was in touch with the French railway authorities about producing leaflets.
B) Area Superintendent, Gallipoli and the Commission’s work in Gallipoli.
New Year Honours
Knighthood awarded to Edward Maufe, Esq., R.A., F.R.I.B.A., Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser. M.B.E. awarded to Mr. B.S. Billingham, Resident Engineer, Tunis, Southern European District.
B.E.M. awarded to Mr. C. Welton, Head Gardener, North-West European District and Mr. C. Posford, Head Gardener, French District.
Death of Monsieur Jean Vanderghote
Refers to the death of Monsieur Jean Vanderghote, who had been Burgomaster of Ypres since January 1953, as well as a prominent figure in the Belgian resistance during the Second World War and a founder member of the Last Post Committee.
Publication of the 34th Annual Report
Mentions proofs of the 34th Annual Report of the Commission were to be sent prior to the Commission’s meeting on 18 February.
Assistant Secretary’s tour of India, Pakistan and South East Asia
Mentions that the Assistant Secretary W.J. Chalmers, Esq. had left on 17 January 1954 for a tour of cemeteries in India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Burma, Malaya, Singapore, Siam and Hong Kong, and he would spend three days in Cyprus on his return journey.
Commemoration of African soldiers buried in unknown or unmaintainable graves in Northern Rhodesia - Discussion regarding Government of Northern Rhodesia’s proposal to build an African War Memorial Hall in Lusaka to record the names of all Northern Rhodesian African servicemen who died on active service during the 1939-1945 War.
Stahnsdorf British Cemetery, Germany
Refers to a letter received from the British Commander-in-Chief's Mission to the Soviet Forces of Occupation in Germany reporting that Stahnsdorf British Cemetery was in good condition.
Commemoration of sailors who died ashore during the Second World War with no known grave
Refers to the allocation of names of sailors who died ashore during the Second World War and have no known grave on the naval memorials at Chatham, Liverpool, Lowestoft, Plymouth and Portsmouth.
Shooting of nightwatchman at Moascar War Cemetery
Refers to compensation given to the dependents of the Commission’s night watchman at Moascar War Cemetery who was accidentally killed.
Death of Miss L.C. Davies, M.B.E.
Refers to the death of Miss L.C. Davies, M.B.E., Superintendent of Typists at Wooburn House, on 21 December 1953, aged 54. She joined the staff in 1921 and was awarded the M.B.E. for her services in 1946.
Award by R.I.C.S. of the President’s Prize 1953 to Mr D.M. Jeffreys
Refers to the award of the President’s Prize 1953 by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (R.I.C.S.) to Mr D.M. Jeffreys, Assistant Quantity Surveyor at the Commission’s Rome office, for a paper on “Building Ancient Rome”.
Report of the 410th Finance Committee meeting
Item 3 referred to rates of pay and allowances in the French, North-West European and Southern European Districts which had been the subject of discussion at the meeting of Joint Negotiating Committee on January 8th.
Item 7 dealt with the supply and erection of headstones in certain districts of the Irish Republic.
Item 8 prompted a question from Mr Maufe about the availability of drawings of the approved headstone for Czech graves.
Item 13 dealt with construction in Holland.
Item 14 dealt with construction in Italy.
Membership of the Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees
Summary of changes of the membership of the Commonwealth-French Joint Committee, Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee and the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee, including honorary and official members.
Report of the 26th Annual Report of the South African Agency
Comments about construction and erection of headstones as well as methods of enhancing the publicity about the Commission’s work in South Africa.
Examination of sketch design by Louis de Soissons, O.B.E., R.A., Principal Architect for Italy and Greece, for Suda Bay War Cemetery, Crete.
45th Quarterly Report for the maintenance of war graves in the United Kingdom
Comments about the results of the machines used to clean headstones and Mr Sylvester’s visit to Harrogate Cemetery.
Milford Haven Cemetery
Resolution for Deed of Grant of exclusive rights of burial in regard to war graves of the 1939-1945 War and the right to erect and maintain a Cross of Sacrifice in Milford Haven Cemetery, Pembrokeshire.
Graves of the South African War
Discussion regarding graves of the South African War, including comments about the proposal submitted by the United Kingdom and South African governments as well as suggestions about the Commission’s actions in respect of the maintenance of the graves of the South African War.
Photographs of cemeteries containing Australian cemeteries
Discussion regarding provision of photographs of cemeteries containing Australian graves for an initiative by the Australian Government to produce a brochure showing cemeteries to be sent out to next of kin.
Date of next meeting scheduled for Thursday 18 February 1954 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)
His Excellency The Hon. Sir Thomas White, K.B.E., D.F.C., V.D. (High Commissioner for Australia)
Brigadier L.W. Thornton, O.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
C.H. Torrance, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
D.N. Chatterjee, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
D.K. Malone, Esq. (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
A.B. Moore, Esq. (Representing the Minister of Works)
General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.
Colonel The Rt. Hon. The Lord Wigram, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., C.S.I.
The Rt. Hon. 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.
General Sir Cameron Nicholson, K.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.
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:
W.H. Bunning, Esq., M.C.
F.C. Sillar, Esq., C.B.E. (Principal 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)
W.K.K. Kinnear, Esq., M.B.E. (Chief Administrative Officer, United Kingdom District) |