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Mr D J Hill, Major V K Dandekar and Lt Cmdr S Haque
The Chairman welcomed Mr D. J. Hill, representative of the High Commissioner for Australia, Major V. K. Dandekar, representative of the High Commissioner for India, and Lieutenant-Commander S. Haque, representative of the High Commissioner for Pakistan, who were all attending a Commission Meeting for the first time.
Matters Arising from the 475th Meeting of the Commission
Report regarding the failed attempt to locate a water supply at Agira Canadian War Cemetery with details of the expenditure; report by the Chairman on the erection of the Commission’s roadside direction signs at Calais Canadian War Cemetery; announcement that the Parliamentary Bills promoted by local authorities in the United Kingdom had received the Royal Assent; update on the United Arab Republic’s proposed removal of Alexandria (Hadra) War Cemetery with details of measures that the Commission and Commonwealth Governments were taking to oppose this action.
Report of the 518th Meeting of the Finance Committee
Submission of the Accounts of the Commission for the year ended 31st March 1964; appointment of eight members of staff to the Permanent Maintenance Staff; excess expenditure for special tests and maintenance at the Thiepval Memorial; expenditure on a water reticulation system at Phaleron War Cemetery; recommended expenditure on modifications to the design and structural maintenance of Gaza War Cemetery, which was to include a new water reticulation system and replacement of the gardener’s quarters; expenditure for the improvement of the water reticulation system and replacement of the gardeners’ quarters at El Belah War Cemetery; expenditure for structural maintenance at Basra War Cemetery and Basra Indian Forces Cemetery; increases in rates of pay of United Kingdom based manual staff; revision of overseas allowances for United Kingdom based non-manual and manual staff in the Northern Region; increases in pay for staff in the Canadian and Anzac Agencies; report on the Accounts of the Endowment Fund and 1952 Superannuation Scheme.
45th Annual Report and Accounts of the Commission
Submission of the draft of the 45th Annual Report, which included information about the Accounts for 1963/64 and details of the Summary of Receipts and Payments and Statement of Expenditure.
Appointment of a Trustee of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund
Appointment of Sir John Hogg, Deputy Chairman of Glyn, Mills & Co., as a Trustee of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund following the death of Colonel Sir Eric Gore Browne.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees
Appointment of His Excellency Mr C. Craw, New Zealand Ambassador in Paris, as Commonwealth Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-French Joint Committee; appointment of His Excellency Sir Peter Garran, British Ambassador in The Hague, as Commonwealth Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee.
Unmaintainable graves in the United Kingdom: Wisbech General Cemetery
Approval of the proposed commemoration of 10 unmaintainable Commonwealth war burials in Wisbech General Cemetery by the erection of a memorial with a suitable inscription in Wisbech Borough Cemetery.
Unmaintainable graves in the United Kingdom: Dumfries (Holy Cross) Roman Catholic Cemetery
Approval of the proposed commemoration of 3 unmaintainable Commonwealth war burials in Dumfries (Holy Cross) Roman Catholic Cemetery by the erection of a memorial with a suitable inscription in Dumfries (St. Andrew’s) Roman Catholic Cemetery.
Epernay French National Cemetery
Arrangements for the transfer of 268 First World War and 54 Second World War graves from Epernay French National Cemetery to Terlincthun British Cemetery due to urban development in the area.
La Reunion War Cemetery
Approval of the revised design for the construction of La Reunion War Cemetery, which included an alternate entrance site following the building of a new road.
Khayat Beach War Cemetery
Approval of alterations to the design of Khayat Beach War Cemetery, which included the removal of a pergola and the placement of wooden seats on small platforms.
Execution of Documents by the Commission or on its Behalf
Approval of the Resolution passed during the 469th Commission Meeting.
Reports from United Kingdom, Northern, Southern and Eastern Regions, Canadian Agency and Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region, for the Quarter Ended 30th June 1964
Report of tour by the Secretary in Eastern Canada, which included visits to Gander War Cemetery, the Ottawa Memorial and the Halifax Memorial, and meetings with the Heads of Missions of Governments, Deputy Minister and senior officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
General Notes
Account of visit by Mr Taylor, Acting Regional Director of the Northern Region, to war cemeteries in the Estaires and Belgium Areas, including those at Le Touquet, Ypres, Antwerp, Terlincthun and Lijssenthoek, and the Dunkirk Memorial; details of Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest and Lady Guest’s visit to Bayeux War Cemetery, Jerusalem War Cemetery, Ranville War Cemetery and Brousy War Cemetery; report on Mr David Griffiths tour of the Northern Region, which included a visit to Kiel War Cemetery and attendance at a ceremony in Berlin War Cemetery commemorating the 25th anniversary of the start of the Second World War; details of Lord and Lady Spens’ visit to Yokohama War Cemetery and Kranji War Cemetery.
Other Business
The deaths of Mr P. J. Mackay, former External Relations Officer for the Commission, Mr Frank Tyrrell, who had worked for the Commission beginning in 1915, and Major-General H. W. Foster, former Chief Administrative Officer, North-West European District, were reported; announcement concerning diminished access to the Tower Hill Memorial due to the reconstruction of Tower Hill Underground Station, which would also affect the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies held at the memorial.
ATTENDEES:
Admiral Sir Guy Grantham GCB CBE DSO (Vice-Chairman of the Commission)
Colonel Alan Chambers DSO OBE (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Mr D. J. Hill (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Mr M. J. C. Templeton (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr D. S. Preller (Representing the Ambassador of South Africa)
Major V. K. Dandekar (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Lieutenant-Commander S. Haque (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
Mr J. H. H. Vaughan (Representing the Secretary of State for the Colonies)
Mr J. W. T. Pritchard (Representing the Minister of Public Building and Works)
The Right Honourable Lord Spens KBE
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)
Mr H. D. Morgan MSc (Eng.) MICE (Consulting Engineer)
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)
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 |