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The Chairman welcomed Miss Joan Woodgate, who was the first woman to be appointed as a Member of the Commission.
The Chairman announced that Mr S. K. Dehlavi had succeeded Mr Agha Hilaly as High Commissioner for Pakistan and that General Sir John Anderson was appointed as Aide-de-Camp General to Her Majesty The Queen.
Matters arising from the 484th Meeting of the Commission
Report that Mr Will Griffiths, MP, and the newly appointed Australian Ambassador were attempting to speak to the United Arab Republic authorities about the proposed removal of Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery and Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery; announcement regarding the completion of restoration work at Jerusalem War Cemetery; comments concerning the distribution of the 47th Annual Report and Accounts; report on the demolition of the Citadel Hill Memorial and construction of the Halifax Memorial, and discussion about financial arrangements with the Canadian Government; note on Mr David Griffiths’ tour to the Northern Region; details of the agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resume construction at Ambon War Cemetery; account of the Chairman’s attendance at the Gardeners’ Service in Westminster Abbey and Remembrance Day broadcast by the Vice-Chairman; report on the proposed removal of war graves from Dar-es-Salaam (Ocean Road) Cemetery due to the construction of a new road.
Estimates 1967/68
Report on the Revised Estimate for 1966/67 and Estimate for 1967/68; details of the emergency economy measures that were introduced the year prior and ways in which the Commission could restrict expenditure, with particular reference to the restoration of Jerusalem War Cemetery and construction of the Area premises at Cairo; details on the expenditure for Head Office and each Region and Agency, which included information about staff expenditure, travelling expenses, administrative expenses, horticultural maintenance, structural maintenance and costs relating to Commission premises.
Report of the 527th Meeting of the Finance Committee
Appointment of two staff members to the Permanent Maintenance Staff; expenditure on Routine Expenditure on Normal Services during 1966/67; report on the effects of water penetration and staining at the Thiepval Memorial; expenditure on structural maintenance at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, including waterproofing of the roof; expenditure on the water supply system at Sangro River War Cemetery; expenditure on the installation of a modern water reticulation system and horticultural work at Basra War Cemeteries; expenditure on the water supply at Ranchi War Cemetery; expenditure on structural alterations to the Commission Head Offices at 32, Grosvenor Gardens; authority for the expenditure on construction of the Area premises at Heliopolis; recommended introduction of revised rates of pay for certain staff of the Anzac Agency.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees
Appointment of Monsieur le Ministre Herman Vanderpoorten, Ministre de l’Interieur, as Belgian Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee.
Approval of the classification of the 1,963 war graves enumerated in List No. 9 of war graves in the United Kingdom recommended for classification as “not within the Commission’s control”.
Reports from United Kingdom, Northern, Southern and Eastern Regions, Canadian Agency and Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region for the Quarter Ended 30th September 1966
Report concerning the recovery of the remains of 16 First World War casualties in France; report regarding the completion of the Western Australian Garden of Remembrance and the Ceremony of Dedication held on 23rd October 1966.
General Notes
Account of the Chairman’s visit to burial places in Staffordshire, Cheshire and Lancashire, with specific reference to the maintenance of Cannock Chase War Cemetery; account of further incidents of vandalism in the Netherlands and at Hastings Cemetery, Sussex; report on the damages to Florence War Cemetery due to flooding; account of Mr W. Wynne Mason’s, Director of External Relations and Records, visit to Tunisia and Libya in connection with the negotiation of a War Graves Agreement in each country; report on Mr W. F. W. Harding’s, Chief Horticultural Officer, tour in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma and East Pakistan, with details about the condition and horticultural maintenance of Rangoon War Cemetery, Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Kanchanaburi War Cemetery and Chungkai War Cemetery; details of forthcoming events, including a special Meeting of the Commission scheduled for 18th May 1967 and a photographic exhibition documenting the Commission’s work at the Imperial War Museum.
Other Business
The death of Colonel C. P. Oswald, the Commission’s former Chief Account in France and Deputy Financial Adviser, was reported; report on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Manual, which covered the technical aspects of the Commission’s work; account of a slide lecture given by Mr W. Wynne Mason in Northampton; announcement that Mr M. J. C. Templeton, representative of the High Commission for New Zealand, would be attending his last Meeting next week.
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 F. C. Boyle (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 B. N. Fatya Murti (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Mr J. W. T. Pritchard (Representing the Minister of Public Building and Works)
Sir Arthur Rucker KCMG CB CBE
Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest KBE CB
Mr David Griffiths MP
Sir Robert Black GCMG OBE
Colonel Sir Richard Glyn BART OBE TD DL MP
Miss Joan Woodgate CBE RRC
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)
Brigadier K. F. Daniell CBE BA (Director of Works)
Mr H. L. Simmons LLB (Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
Mr W. F. W. Harding OBE BSc (Hort.) (Chief Horticultural Officer)
Mr A. E. V. Shephard |