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Announcement regarding the absence of a Chairman and election of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore to the Chair.
Death of General Sir John Crocker
The death of General Sir John Crocker, former Vice-Chairman and Member of the Commission, was reported.
Matters arising from the Minutes of the 468th Meeting
Arrangements for a meeting between the Commission and Bath Corporation to discuss the inclusion of a protective clause in the Bath Corporation Bill; account of the unveiling of the Auckland Provincial Memorial; agreement to reduce the frequency of Finance Committee and Commission Meetings; execution of the Deed of Appointment of a Trustee of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund and Amendment of the Trustees Powers of Investment; update on the investigation into the theft of the Visitors’ Book and Queen’s Key from the Runnymede Memorial.
Arrangements for the 4th Meeting of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee at The Hague.
The death of Mr P. D. Hepworth, the Commission’s former Principal Architect for Northern Europe, was reported.
Account of private visit to Malta by Sir Edward Maufe with details about the horticulture and condition of the Malta Memorial, Addolorata Cemetery, Capuccini Naval Cemetery, Imtarfa Military Cemetery, Pembroke Military Cemetery and Pieta Military Cemetery.
Details of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore’s private visit to war graves located on the Isle of Man.
Report on tour to cemetery sites in Baghdad, Amara and Kut by Mr A. K. Pallot, Assistant Secretary, Director of Finance and Establishments, with details on the difficulties of working in Iraq.
Report of the 511th Meeting of the Finance Committee
Granting of the usual annual authority to the Secretary and Director-General to appoint and employ staff; issue of the usual block authority on account of routine expenditure on normal services in the financial year 1963/64; expenditure on the provision of quarters for the Head Gardener and six Gardeners at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery; expenditure on the completion of construction of Trincomalee War Cemetery; proposed expenditure for the installation of air-conditioning in the Commission’s office building in Rome.
Membership of the Finance Committee
Appointment of the Ambassador of South Africa as a member of the Finance Committee.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committee
Appointment of Lieutenant-General C. J. Valk as Netherlands Honorary Member and Mr W. F. Bull, Canadian Ambassador in The Hague, as Commonwealth Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee; appointment of General d’Armee Louis Dodelier, Military Governor of Paris, as French Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-French Joint Committee; appointment of Mr A. L. S. Coltman, Second Secondary, British Embassy, Copenhagen, as Commonwealth Member of the Commonwealth-Danish Joint Committee.
Arrangements for the Proper Officer, including the Regional Director of each Administrative Region, to execute documents by the Commission or on its behalf.
Approval of the proposed modifications to the design of Trincomalee War Cemetery, which included the regrouping of Admiralty non-war graves into the rear of the war graves plots and horticultural development of the cemetery.
Report from the Southern Region for Quarter ended 31st December 1962 with reference to the Commission’s work in the region and the observance of Remembrance Day by local embassies and organisations.
General Notes
Announcement regarding the reunification in London of the Commission’s Head Office; news regarding the erection of Commission headstones over 7 graves containing 9 burials in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Other Business
Arrangements for a special Meeting to consider the appointment of a new Vice-Chairman and for Sir Arthur Longmore to assist with the role in the interim; arrangements to hold the annual Anzac Day Service in St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
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)
Major Bashir Ahmad (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
Mr D. K. Malone MBE (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
The Rt. Hon. Lord Spens KBE
Sir Arthur Rucker KCMG CB CBE
Mr John Hogg TD
Mr David Griffiths MP
Admiral Sir Guy Grantham GCB CBE DSO
SECRETARY
Mr W. J. Chalmers CBE (Director-General)
ADVISER
Sir Edward Maufe RA FRIBA (Chief Architect and Artistic Adviser)
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 |