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The Chairman announced that he was attending his first meeting of the Commission.
The Chairman welcomed Mr R. B. Atkins, representative of the High Commissioner for New Zealand, and Major Mohammed Malik Bashir, representative of the High Commissioner for Pakistan, who were attending a Commission Meeting for the first time.
Announcement that a letter of thanks was sent by the Vice-Chairman to Mr Joseph Godber, MP, for his interest in the work of the Commission.
Matters Arising from the 472nd Meeting of the Commission
Announcement regarding the publication of the 44th Annual Report.
Supplemental Charter
Discussion concerning a new Supplemental Charter for the Commission after legislation concerning a new Central Organization for Defence, which was to transfer the functions of the Secretary of State for War to the Secretary of State for Defence, was proposed in the United Kingdom Parliament.
Estimates 1964/65
Report on the annual Estimates of expenditure, including the Revised Estimate for 1963/64 and 1964/65; explanation for increases in expenditure due to rises in the cost of staff, administrative expenses, and horticultural and structural maintenance work; details concerning the provision of funds for the current and ensuing years, expenditure on staff, travelling expenses, administrative expenses, horticultural maintenance, structural maintenance, Commission premises and Agency Services; approval of the Revised Estimate of Expenditure for the year 1963/64 and the Estimate of Expenditure for the year 1964/65.
Report of the 515th Meeting of the Finance Committee
Recommendations on the Estimates; appointment of Mr Charles Davidson Jack as Regional Director, Northern Region, and Commander Forster as Regional Director, Eastern Region; details of expenditure for the maintenance of memorials in Gallipoli, with specific reference to the Cape Helles Memorial, Lone Pine Memorial and Chunuk Bair Memorial; employment of staff during 1964/65 and annual authority for the application of rates of pay and allowances; provision for the vehicle replacement programme in the Estimates; report on difficulties encountered during the construction of Ambon War Cemetery due to the political situation in the region.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committee
Appointment of Rear-Admiral J. G. Stegman, Flag Officer, Personnel, Ministry of Defence, as Netherlands Official Member of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee.
Permanent Notices in Commonwealth War Cemeteries and Memorials
Approval of the proposed erection of plaques indicating that Commonwealth war cemeteries and memorial were built and maintained by the Commission.
Unmaintainable Graves, United Kingdom: Ilkeston (Stanton Road) Cemetery, Derbyshire
Approval of the proposed commemoration of five Commonwealth war burials in Ilkeston (Stanton Road) Cemetery by the erection of a memorial with a suitable inscription in Ilkeston (Park) Cemetery.
Unmaintainable Graves, United Kingdom: Morriston (Seion) Welsh Baptist Chapelyard and Morriston (Horeb) Congregational Chapelyard, Glamorgan
Approval of the proposed commemoration of three Commonwealth war burials in Morriston (Seion) Welsh Baptists Chapelyard and two Commonwealth war burials in Morriston (Horeb) Congregational Chapelyard by the erection of a memorial with a suitable inscription in Cardiff Western Cemetery.
Unmaintainable Graves, United Kingdom: Canterbury (Wincheap Road) Cemetery, Kent
Approval of the proposed commemoration of one Commonwealth war burial in Canterbury (Wincheap Road) Cemetery on a memorial headstone bearing a suitable inscription in the war graves plot in Canterbury Cemetery.
Execution of Documents by the Commission or on its Behalf
Discussion concerning transactions that did and did not require to be sealed; rescindment of the agreement between the Commission and James Finlay and Company Limited concerning arrangements for the water supply at Chittagong War Cemetery.
Reports from United Kingdom, Northern, Southern and Eastern Regions, Canadian Agency and Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region for the Quarter Ended 30th September 1963
Account of visit by H.M. Ships to Khayat Beach War Cemetery and Diego Suarez War Cemetery, and recommendation that the Commission liaise with the Commands of the Forces for the purpose of arranging visits to isolated war graves located in remote places; report that the Head Gardener at Jakarta War Cemetery prevented an act of vandalism in the cemetery.
General Notes
Account of the private visit by the Vice-Chairman to three cemeteries in Germany and three cemeteries in Holland, with specific reference to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, a meeting with Madame van Anrooy, Chairman of the Dutch War Graves Organisation, and visits to the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery and Portland Royal Naval Cemetery; comments by Lieutenant-General Sir John Anderson regarding the condition of cemeteries and work of gardeners in Germany and Belgium, with specific reference to Hanover War Cemetery, an unnamed cemetery in Berlin and the Battle of Waterloo Memorial in Belgium, which was maintained by the Commission on an Agency basis; report on the Secretary’s visit to Tehran War Cemetery, Phaleron War Cemetery and Suda Bay War Cemetery, progress of the Commission’s work in Iraq, and the rehabilitation of Kantara War Cemetery, Gaza War Cemetery and Deir el Belah War Cemetery; account of Mr W. Wynne Mason’s attendance at an assembly of the German War Graves Organisation, visits to a German and Italian war cemetery and Durnbach War Cemetery, and trip to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland to make new arrangements for the maintenance of war graves with the governments of the three territories on an agency basis.
Other Business
The death of Mr Tasman Millington, former member of the Commission’s staff in Gallipoli, was reported; announcement concerning the return of the Queen’s Key and Royal Visitors’ Book, which had been stolen a year earlier, to the Runnymede Memorial; the retirements of Mr F. W. Thomashoff, representative for the High Commissioner of South Africa, and Mr D. K. Malone, representative for the Secretary of State for the Colonies, was announced.
ATTENDEES:
The Right Honourable James Ramsden MP (Secretary of State for War, Chairman of the Commission)
Admiral Sir Guy Grantham GCB CBE DSO (Vice-Chairman of the Commission)
Colonel Alan Chambers DSO OBE (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Mr P. A. K. Manton (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Mr R. B. Atkins (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr F. W. Thomashoff (Representing the High Commissioner for South Africa)
Major S. Kumar (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Major Mohammed Malik Bashir (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
Mr D. K. Malone MBE (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
The Right Honourable Lord Spens KBE
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore GCB DSO
Sir Arthur Rucker KCMG CB CBE
Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest KBE CB
Lieutenant-General Sir John Anderson KCB 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 ((Assistant Secretary) Director of External Relations and Records)
Mr A. K. Pallot ((Assistant Secretary) Director of Finance and Establishments)
Brigadier K. F. Daniell CBE (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 |