| Content Note | Topics discussed:
Welcome to Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest, who was attending his first Meeting since his appointment by Royal Warrant to be a member of the Commission, as well as to Mr W.T. Doig who was representing the High Commissioner for Australia for the first time.
Approval, amendment and signature of the 394th Commission meeting minutes – Matters arising out of the minutes: Completion of preparations for the unveiling of the Cassino Memorial.
The Late General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson
Mention that a copy of the Resolution regarding the late General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson adopted by the Commission at their 393rd Meeting had been sent to Lady Gordon-Finlayson.
Their Name Liveth
The Secretary W.J. Chalmers, Esq., C.B.E. read a letter received from the Private Secretary to H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester, saying that Her Majesty The Queen had been interested to see a copy of the second Part of Volume Two of "Their Name Liveth".
Report of the 439th Finance Committee meeting
Item 1: Expenditure during summer recess.
Item 2 (b): Major maintenance at St. Sever Cemetery and Extension, Rouen.
Item 5: Purchase of premises for an Area Office at Caen, France.
Item 6: Appointment of 14 gardeners to the permanent maintenance staff.
Items 12 and 13: Construction of permanent shelters at Bath (Haycombe) Cemetery and at Oxford (Botley) Cemetery.
Item 14: Boundary wall and fence at Haidar Pasha Cemetery, Turkey.
Item 15: Printing of the permanent record of the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour.
Item 16: Expenditure on the publication of the first part of the third volume of photographs of War Cemeteries and Memorials and the purchase of paper for the second and third parts of the same volume.
Item 19: Cost of running the first Meeting of the Commonwealth-Iraq Committee which was being arranged by the British Ambassador in Baghdad in November 1956.
Appointment of Botanical Adviser
Resolution for the appointment of Dr George Taylor, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., as Honorary Botanical Adviser to the Commission in succession to Sir Edward Salisbury, C.B.E., F.R.S..
Appointment of the Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee
Refers to the appointment of membership of the Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee, including Honorary and Official Members.
Royal New Zealand Naval Memorial, Devonport, Auckland
Resolution that the Commission took note of a new design for the Naval Memorial submitted by the New Zealand authorities to be at erected at Devonport, New Zealand, for which an earlier design had been agreed by the Commission at their 362nd Meeting in September 1953.
Examination of sketch design for Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Burma.
Examination of sketch design by L.D. Barrett, L.R.I.B.A. for Khanaqin Military Cemetery, Iraq.
Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong
Resolution for the signature and affixation of the Commission’s seal to the Duplicate Deed of Appropriation between His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong and the Commission whereby the land required for Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong, is appropriated exclusively and in perpetuity in the name and under the control of the Commission.
Progress report for quarter ended 30 June 1956
Refers to figures for progress of the Commission’s construction programme.
General notes
Mentions that it was estimated that by the middle of October 1956 the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede would have had one million visitors since its unveiling in October 1953.
Tours by Admiral Sir John Edelsten
Report of tours by Admiral Sir John Edelsten, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., C.B.E., including comments about the Lowestoft Memorial, Shotley Naval Cemetery, Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery and Zeebrugge Communal Cemetery.
Visit by Sir Arthur Longmore to Cemeteries in Lincolnshire
Refers to visit to cemeteries in Lincolnshire by Sir Arthur Longmore, including Cranwell, Scopwick, Lincoln and Waddington.
Speech made by R.D. Harkness in the Canadian House of Commons
Mentions that the Secretary read an extract from a speech made by R.D. Harkness, M.P. in the Canadian House of Commons on 12 July 1956, praising the Commission’s work in North-West Europe and Italy.
Remembrance Ceremonies in Ponca City Cemetery, Oklahoma
Mentions that a former Officer of the R.A.F. had written from the United States describing remembrance ceremonies which were held each year on 30 May in Ponca City Cemetery, Oklahoma.
Visit of Soviet Air Delegation to the Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede
Brief account of visit of Soviet Air Delegation to the Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede on 4 September 1956.
Dunkirk Memorial Window
Mentions that the Chairman, along with the Secretary and the Director of Works had paid a visit on 11 September 1956 to the studio of Mr. John Hutton to see the completed design and specimens of engraved glass for the Window at the Dunkirk Memorial.
Date of next meeting scheduled for Thursday 18 October 1956 at 11:00am.
ATTENDEES:
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, G.C.B., D.S.O. (Vice-Chairman in the Chair)
S.D. Pierce, Esq., O.B.E. (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
W.T. Doig, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
J.G. Hale, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
D.V. Serrurier, Esq. (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Brigadier M.G. Dewan (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)
General Sir John Crocker, G.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., M.C.
Admiral Sir John Edelsten, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., C.B.E.
Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest, K.B.E.,C.B.
SECRETARY:
W.J. Chalmers, Esq., C.B.E.
ADVISERS:
Sir William Halcrow, M. Inst. C.E. (Consulting Engineer)
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 (Finance and Establishments))
Major-General J.F.D. Steedman, C.B.E., M.C. (Director of Works)
Colonel E.A. Griffin, O.B.E., E.D. (Chief Administrative Officer, United Kingdom District)
A.S. Laing, Esq.
R.I. Mill, Esq. |