| Content Note | Topics covered:
The Rt. Hon. Christopher Soames, C.B.E., M.P.
Introduction of the Right Honourable John Profumo, Secretary of State for War and Chairman of the Commission, who was attending his first Commission Meeting since replacing the Right Honourable Christopher Soames.
Representatives of Official Members of the Commission
Appointment of Mr J. H. H. Vaughan as representative for the Secretary of State for the Colonies; appointment of Mr J. W. T. Pritchard as representative for the Minister of Works; appointment of Mr H. F. Clark as representative for the High Commissioner of Canada; departure of Major Hari Krishna, who had served as representative for the High Commissioner for India.
Matters arising from the Minutes of the 439th Meeting
Request from Lieutenant-General Richard Goodbody to be submitted to The Queen for appointment as a Member of the Commission by Royal Warrant; discussion about the provision of a Cross of Sacrifice at Montgomery (Oakwood) Cemetery Annex, Alabama, United States of America; update regarding the proposed transfer of war graves and memorials from Damascus Indian War Cemetery.
Death of Lord Wigram
Refers to the recent death of Lord Wigram, former member of the Commission.
Ceylon Agency of the Commission
Appointment of Mrs Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Ceylon, as Ceylon Agency of the Commission.
Situation in Egypt and Libya
Report on the situation in Egypt and Syria, with specific reference to the Commission’s general status and position regarding the ability for Commission’s officials to carry out their duties.
Annual Reunion and Flower Show at Arras
Refers to the attendance by the Vice-Chairman at the Annual Reunion and Flower Show at Arras.
Report of the 484th Meeting of the Finance Committee
Report of Expenditure authorised under the Recess Financial Authority, including contributions for a memorial to be erected in Basutoland, construction of a Memorial to the Missing in Khartoum War Cemetery, supply and erection of a Cross of Sacrifice at Montgomery (Oakwood) Cemetery, construction of three new cemeteries at Krakow, Malbork and Poznan, construction at Bucharest War Cemetery and the Gibraltar Memorial, and engraving the poem “Memorial’ by Paul H. Scotto on the Runnymede Memorial; expenditure in connection with the construction and maintenance of Tel-el-Kebir War Cemetery; supply and erection of a Cross of Sacrifice at Esquimalt Naval and Military Cemetery; fifteen appointments to the Permanent Maintenance Staff.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees
Appointment of John Nicholls, United Kingdom Ambassador at Brussels, as a Commonwealth Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee; appointment of Charles Avignon, Directeur, Ministere des Anciens Combattants et Victimes de Guerre, as French Official Member of the Commonwealth-French Joint Committee and Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee.
Transfer of the 1914-1918 War Graves from Bombay (Sewri) Cemetery
Arrangements for the transfer of First World War Commonwealth graves from Bombay (Sewri) Cemetery to Kirkee War Cemetery.
Choc Bay Cemetery, St. Lucia, Winward Islands
Proposal for the regroupment of First and Second World War graves in St. Lucia into a new site at Choc Bay Cemetery and approval of the sketch design by Ralph Hobday, OBE, FRIBA, for the war graves plot at Choc Bay Cemetery.
Provision of a Cross of Sacrifice for Esquimalt Naval and Military Cemetery
Refers to the approval for the provision of a Cross of Sacrifice at Esquimalt Naval and Military Cemetery.
Maintenance of 51st Highland Division Memorial, Beaumont Hamel, France
Revision of financial arrangements for the maintenance of the 51st Highland Division Memorial at Beaumont Hamel.
Commonwealth War Graves and Memorials in the Federation of Nigeria – Instrument of Agency
Arrangements for the maintenance of Commonwealth war graves in Nigeria under the formal Instrument of Agency
Commonwealth-Japanese Joint Committee – Fourth Meeting
Refers to the arrangements for the fourth meeting of the Commonwealth-Japanese Joint Committee
Progress Report for the Quarter ended 30th June 1960
Reports from the United Kingdom, Northern, Southern and Eastern Regions, Canadian Agency and Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region for the Quarter ended 30 June 1960.
General Notes: details of three Canadian ceremonies, including the annual ceremony at Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery.
ATTENDEES:
The Rt. Hon. John Profumo CBE MP (Secretary of State for War, Chairman of the Commission) General Sir John Crocker GCB KBE DSO MC (Vice-Chairman of the Commission)
L. V. Ryan (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Captain G. J. B. Crabb DSC RAN (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
R. L. Jermyn (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
F. W. Thomashoff (Representing the High Commissioner for the Union of South Africa)
Lieutenant-Colonel A. K. Sahukar (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Lieutenant-Colonel Fahim Ahmad Khan (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
J. H. H. Vaughn (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
J. W. T. Pritchard (Representing the Minister of Works)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore GCB DSO
Admiral Sir John Edelsten GCB GCVO CBE
Air Marshal Charles Guest KBE CB
John Hogg TD
SECRETARY
W. J. Chalmers CBE (Director-General)
ADVISER
Sir Edward Maufe RA FRIBA (Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser)
H. D. Morgan MSc MICE (Consulting Engineer)
Also in attendance:
W. Wynne Mason MC ((Assistant Secretary) Director of External Relations and Records)
A. K. Pallot ((Assistant Secretary) Director of Finance and Establishments)
Major-General J. F. D. Steedman CBE MC (Director of Works)
H. L. Simmons LLB (Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
W. F. W. Harding CBE BSc (Chief Horticultural Officer)
P. J. Cook |