| Content Note | Topics covered:
Matters arising from the Minutes of the 426th Meeting
Account of the unveiling of the Ottawa Memorial and visit by the Secretary to the United States and Canada.
High Commissioner for Pakistan
Announcement that Lieutenant-General Mohammed Yousuf had assumed office as High Commissioner for Pakistan in London.
Retirement of General Charles Loewen
Announcement that General Charles Loewen, Adjutant-General and Member of the Commission, was retiring.
Presentation of the British Empire Medal to Mr Lewin
Refers to presentation of the British Empire Medal to G. R. Lewin, Group Supervisor in Egypt, for his devotion to duty as custodian at Heliopolis War Cemetery.
Report of the 472nd Meeting of the Finance Committee
Authorisation for the Vice-Chairman to approve expenditure on items normally submitted to the Finance Committee; maintenance at Landrecies British Cemetery, Heath Cemetery, Wellington Cemetery and Thiepval Memorial under the contract with Entreprise Reynes; supply and erection Botticino Classico headstones at Benghazi War Cemetery; expenditure for the installation of water supply at gardening staff quarters on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee-Appointment of Members
Appointment of Dr Richard Kunisch, Counsellor in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as official member of the Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee.
Investment of monies forming part of the Commission’s General Fund.
De- sequestration Proceedings, Egypt
Authorisation for Clive Rutherford Cameron, Area Superintendent, Egypt Area, to act as the Commission’s Attorney for the desequestration of any Commission assets in Egypt during the Suez Crisis in 1956.
Financial arrangements for the maintenance of Battle Field Memorials in France and Belgium, including the 20th (Light) Division Memorials at Guillemont, France, and Langemarck, Belgium, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Memorial at Frezenberg, Belgium, and the 1st Canadian Division Memorial at Thelus, France.
Approval of the sketch design for the Khartoum Memorial designed by Mr H. E. Jenner, ARIBA;
Cemetery and Memorial Registers – Paper for the Information of the Commission
Report on the production of and amendments to cemetery and memorial registers, which included the omission of the street address and next of kin from the Second World War registers, and considerations regarding the permanent preservation of the record of Commonwealth War Dead.
General Notes
Reference to Canadian ceremonies held in the United Kingdom; information regarding the South African Pilgrimage to the South African Memorial at Delville Wood and Amiens Cathedral; details of visit by HRH The Duke of Gloucester to the Nigeria Memorial; report on a showing of the Commission’s film in the Palace of Westminster.
Other Business
Agreement for the purchase and maintenance of office equipment from Power-Samas Accounting Machine Limited for use in the preparation of the records of Second World War dead; financial arrangements for the maintenance of the Seaforth Highlanders Memorial; account of visit of the South African Pilgrimage to 15 cemeteries in Italy; details of visit by Major-General J. F. D. Steedman, Director of Works, to cemeteries at Durnbach, Berlin, Cassel, Cologne, Rheinberg and Reichswald; recount of visit by Mr W. F. W. Harding, Chief Horticultural Officer for the Commission, to cemeteries in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
ATTENDEES:
General Sir John Crocker GCB KBE DSO MC (Vice-Chairman of the Commission)
Campbell Moodie (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Major-General R. W. Knights OBE (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
E. A. Broadbridge (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
F. W. Thomashoff (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Major E. K. Hari Krishna (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Major N. A. Husain (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
S. H. Field (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
A. J. Isaac (Representing the Minister of Works)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore GCB DSO
The Right Hon. Sir Patrick Spens KBE GC MP
G. O. Sylvester MP
Sir Arthur Rucker KCMG CB CBE
Admiral Sir John Edelsten GCB GCVO CBE
Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest KBE CB
John Hogg TD
SECRETARY
W. Wynne Mason MC (Assistant Secretary (External Relations))
ADVISER
Sir Edward Maufe RA FRIBA (Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser)
Also in attendance:
A. K. Pallot (Assistant Secretary (Finance and Establishments))
Major-General J. F. D. Steedman CBE MC (Director of Works)
H. L. Simmons LLB (Legal Adviser)
W. F. W. Harding OBE BSc (Chief Horticultural Officer)
P. J. Cook |