| Content Note | Topics discussed:
Death of General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson
Tribute to the late General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, a member of the Commission for nearly 15 years with a summary of his involvement with the work of the Commission.
Retirement of Mr Hudd
Refers to the retirement of Mr Frederic Hudd, C.B.E., formerly representative of the Canadian High Commissioner and welcome to his successor, Mr S.D. Pierce, Esq., O.B.E.
Approval and signature of the 392nd Commission meeting minutes
a) Appointment of Sir Eric Harrison as High Commissioner for Australia in London in succession to Sir Thomas White
b) Mention of letter received from Mr. Bandaranaike, thanking the Commission for their good wishes on his succession to office as the Commission’s Agency in Ceylon.
Retirement of High Commissioner for South Africa
Mentions that the South African High Commissioner in London, Mr G.P. Jooste, was returning to South Africa to take up the post of Secretary for External Affairs, and that he would be succeeded in London by Dr J.E. Holloway, at present South African Ambassador in Washington.
Report of the 374th Finance Committee meeting
Item 1: Acceptance of the higher of the two tenders received for the supply of the window frames for the Dunkirk Memorial was recommended.
Items 2,3,4: Construction of three War Cemeteries in Germany, Reichswald Forest, Rheinberg and Munster Heath.
Item 6: Purchase of office premises in the Anzac Agency.
Item 15: Appointment of a Horticultural Officer at Ypres, Mr F.W. Fisher, to succeed Mr Hogg who had been promoted to be Senior Horticultural Officer for the North-West European District.
Membership of the Commonwealth-French Joint Committee
Refers to the appointment of His Excellency Sir H.M. Gladwyn Jebb, G.C.M.G., C.B. as an Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-French Joint Committee.
Kranji War Cemetery and Memorial, Singapore
Resolution that Richard Hugh Perry, Chief Administrative Officer for India, Pakistan and South East Asia District be authorised to sign on the Commission’s behalf the Memorandum of Transfer recording the arrangements agreed between the Government of Singapore and the Commission for the exclusive use and occupation by the Commission of land measuring in area 13 acres 3 roods and 14 poles required for the purposes of the Kranji War Cemetery and Memorial, Singapore.
Legacy under the will of Mrs Rosa Dines, deceased
Resolution that legacy under the will of the late Mrs Rosa Dines be credited to the Commission's General Fund for the care and maintenance of the Graves of the Fallen of the 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 Wars.
Purchase of Office Premises, Anzac Agency
Resolution for the sale by the Commission of the land and premises at 622 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, where the present offices of the Agency are located.
General notes
Refers to the unveiling of the Cross of Sacrifice at Kirkwall, Orkney.
India, Pakistan and South-East Asia District
Brief account of the Commission’s work in India, Pakistan and South-East Asia District by Chief Administrative Officer R.H. Perry, C.B.E., M.C., including comments about use of concrete in the Far East, lack of trained stonemasons affecting construction progress, figures of completed cemeteries and cemeteries to be constructed, as well as horticulture and the challenges of the climate in the area in this aspect of the Commission’s work.
Middle Eastern District
Brief report of the Commission’s work in its Middle Eastern District by the Chief Administrative Officer C.D. Jack, Esq., A.R.I.B.A.. Includes comments about situation in Cyprus as well as cemeteries in Israel, Iraq and Syria.
Visit of Principal Deputy Director of Works to Gallipoli and Dardanelles
Report of visit to Gallipoli and the Dardanelles by the Principal Deputy Director of Works Brigadier N.E.V. Patterson, O.B.E.
Birthday Honours
O.B.E. awarded to Brigadier A.E. Brown, Secretary-General of Anzac Agency.
M.B.E. awarded to Mr H.L. Pease, Works Surveyor at the Commission's Headquarters, and Mr R.D. Hogg, Area Superintendent, North West European District.
B.E.M. awarded to Mr. C.G. Humphreys, Head Gardener, French District, and Mr. V.C.A. Smithers, Gardener-Caretaker, Anzac Agency.
Unveiling of the Groesbeek Memorial
Report of the unveiling of the Groesbeek Memorial by H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester on 2 June 1956.
Visit of Sir Arthur Rucker to Farmingdale (Pine Lawn) National Cemetery, Long Island
Refers to visit of Sir Arthur Rucker to Farmingdale (Pine Lawn) National Cemetery, Long Island.
Death of Captain P.E. Vesper
Refers to the death of Captain P.E. Vesper who, until his retirement in 1949, had been the Commission's Inspector in Northern Ireland.
Conference with Chief Administrative Officers
Report of conference with Chief Administrative Officers, during which the confusion over the job title was discussed and proposal to rename “Districts” as “Regions”.
Notices in Cemeteries
Proposal for notices in cemeteries to be placed indicating the whereabouts of the bronze box in which the Register of the graves was to be found.
Report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service
Refers to changes involving a five-day working week at the Commission’s offices in London and at Wooburn Green, as well as arranging for a skeleton staff on Saturdays to deal with urgent business and enquiries.
Date of next meeting scheduled for Thursday 19 July 1956 at 11:00am.
ATTENDEES:
General Sir John Crocker, G.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., M.C. (In the Chair)
S.D. Pierce, Esq., O.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
L.R. McIntyre, Esq., O.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Lieutenant-Colonel J. Brooke-White, O.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
D.V. Serrurier, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Major K.Y. Khan (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Captain S.M. Akhtar (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
I.B. Watt, Esq. (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
A.J. Isaac, Esq. (Representing the Minister of Works)
The Rt. Hon. Sir Patrick Spens, K.C.B., Q.C., M.P.
George Sylvester, Esq., M.P.
Captain Sir Harold Campbell, G.C.V.O., D.S.O.,R.N.
Admiral Sir John Edelsten, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., C.B.E.
SECRETARY:
W.J. Chalmers, Esq., C.B.E.
ADVISERS:
Sir Edward Maufe, Esq., R.A. (Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser)
Also in attendance:
W. Wynne Mason, Esq., M.C. (Assistant Secretary (External Relations))
A.K. Pallot, 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)
Brigadier R.H. Perry, C.B.E., M.C. (Chief Administrative Officer, India, Pakistan and South-East Asia District)
C.D. Jack, Esq., A.R.I.B.A. (Chief Administrative Officer, Middle Eastern District)
Brigadier N.E.V. Patterson, O.B.E. (Principal Deputy Director of Works)
R.I. Mill, Esq. |