| Content Note | Topics covered:
Announcement regarding the absence of the Vice-Chairman and election of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore to the Chair.
Matters arising from the Minutes of the 467th Meeting
News regarding the health of the Commission’s Vice-Chairman, General Sir John Crocker; update on the Commission’s attempt to include a protective clause in the Bill proposed by the Bath Corporation.
Appointment of the Honourable Marcel Lambert, former Speaker of the House of Commons, as Minister of Veterans’ Affairs and Canadian Agency for the Commission following the departure of the Honourable Gordon Churchill.
Arrangements for the unveiling and dedication of the Auckland Provincial Memorial, which was to be attended by Sir Leon Gotz, New Zealand Minister of Internal Affairs on 3rd March 1962.
Tours Abroad by Head Office Officials
Discussion concerning the purpose of Mr A. K. Pallot’s, Director of Finance and Establishments, tour to the Eastern Region, including discussion about financial matters with the Governments of India and Pakistan, examination of the organisational, financial and establishment problems in the Eastern Region, and to visit cemeteries and memorials in the region; account of visits to 20 cemetery and memorials sites, including those at Karachi, Rawalpindi, Kirkee, Kanchanaburi, Kranji, Digboi, Thanbyuzayat, Chittagong, Chungkai, Tehran and Singapore, with specific reference to the assistance provided by the Assam Oil Company at Digboi and Messrs James Finlay at Chittagong.
Frequency of Meetings of the Finance Committee and Commission
Discussion concerning the proposed reduction in the frequency of Finance Committee and Commission Meetings from one month to every three months.
Report of the 510th Meeting of the Finance Committee
The Committee welcomed Mr J. T. McAulay, successor to Colonel Russell Edmunds as Treasury Representative, who was attending a Finance Committee Meeting for the first time; details of the recommended expenditure on horticultural and structural renovation in cemeteries in Ceylon (Sri Lanka); recommendation for a new contract for the supply and delivery of 400 Botticino headstones to cemeteries in the Southern Region; expenditure on design modifications and structural maintenance at Amara War Cemetery and Amara Left Bank Indian War Cemetery; expenditure on design modifications and structural maintenance at Basra War Cemetery and Basra Indian Forces Cemetery; provision of increases in pensions to 211 retired members of the Commission’s staff or dependants.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committee
Appointment of Mr F. J. Blakeney, Australian Ambassador in Bonn, as Commonwealth Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee.
Appointment of Mr Andrew Hunter Carnwath as a Trustee of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund, who was replacing Sir Edward Peacock and amendment of the Trustees’ powers of investment to authorise investment in South African Government stocks.
Basra War Cemetery and Basra Indian Forces Cemetery, Iraq, Southern Region
Approval for the proposed replacement of the damaged Cross of Sacrifice, Type A1, with a larger Type A in Basra War Cemetery, and suggested improvements concerning the layout of the cemeteries, which included a new water supply, replacement of the damaged Stone of Remembrance and construction of a caretaker’s quarters.
Approval of the modified design for Amara War Cemetery and Amara Left Bank Indian Cemetery, which included the removal of the Stone of Remembrance and erection of a small seat feature in its place.
Report on the developments concerning the threat to the security of Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery.
Report from the United Kingdom, Northern and Eastern Regions, Canadian Agency and Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region for the Quarter Ended 31st December 1962
Brief account of ceremonies held by the French, Italians, Poles and Germans at plots cared for by the Commission; attendance by the Secretary-General at a series of Pilgrimages of the next-of-kin of Canadians buried in the Netherlands; report on the horticulture and variations of climate that the Commission was faced with in the Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region.
General Notes
Details concerning the infrequent visits to war graves in Mauritius by Commission officials.
Office Premises, Northern Area, United Kingdom Region – 114 West Nile Street, Glasgow
Authorisation for William Alan Pettigrew, Area Superintendent, Northern Area, United Kingdom Region, to complete the tenancy agreement with Messrs Reid & Pollock for the Commission’s new office premises.
ATTENDEES:
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore GCB DSO (In the Chair)
Mr H. F. Clark (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Mr P. A. K. Manton (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Mr R. L. Jermyn (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr F. W. Thomashoff (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Lieutenant-Colonel A. K. Sahukar (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Mr D. K. Malone MBE (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest KBE CB
Mr John Hogg TD
Mr David Griffiths MP
Admiral Sir Guy Grantham GCB CBE DSO
SECRETARY
Mr W. J. Chalmers CBE (Director-General)
Also in attendance:
Mr W. Wynne Mason MC ((Assistant Secretary) Director of External Relations and Records)
Mr A. K. Pallot ((Assistant Secretary) Director of Finance and Establishments)
Major-General J. F. D. Steedman CBE MC (Director of Works)
Mr H. L. Simmons LLB (Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
Mr W. F. W. Harding OBE BSc (Hort.) (Chief Horticultural Officer)
Mr T. A. E. Gibson |