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The death of the Right Honourable Vincent Massey, former Canadian High Commissioner in London and Member of the Finance Committee and Commission, was reported.
The Chairman welcomed Mr S. S. Dhaven, who had succeeded Dr J. N. Mehta as High Commissioner for India.
New Year Honours
Appointment of an MBE to Mr D. E. Moss, Area Works Officer, Eastern Mediterranean Area, Southern Region.
Matters arising from the 490th and 491st Meetings of the Commission
Attendance by Mr W. J. Chalmers, the Commission’s Director-General, at the memorial service for the Right Honourable Harold Holt, MP; report that the situation in the Middle East was nearly back to normal with freedom of movement within the United Arab Republic except for Tel-el-Kebir, Suez, Ismalia, Fayid and Moascar; report that planning permission was obtained for construction at Dar-es-Salaam (Bagamoyo Road) War Cemetery; update on the future of war graves in Aden; approval of the Annual Estimates of Expenditure and request for the supplementary provision of funds for 1967/68 and 1968/69; report that the Resolution concerning the Commission’s opposition to the removal of Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery and Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery was transmitted to participating governments.
Report of the 532nd Meeting of the Finance Committee
Resolution renewing the powers of the Secretary and Director-General to authorise minor items of expenditure; expenditure relating to the maintenance of stonework; expenditure for the maintenance of the Cassino Memorial, which included framing the panels to conceal damage; expenditure on the repair of two ornamental tanks in Imphal War Cemetery and Imphal Indian Army War Cemetery.
Maintenance of stonework
Proposals concerning changes in policy on the use of siliconester bonding agents and silicone-based water repellents in the maintenance of stonework, which included ceasing the treatment of new headstones with siliconester, principles of the selective application of silicones, considerations for the use of silicones to protect against rapid surface erosion and research into suitable toxic wash to deal with lichenous growths.
Membership of the Finance Committee
Appointment of the High Commissioner for India as a Member of the Finance Committee.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees
Appointment of Brigadier R. K. Batra, Indian High Commission in London, as Commonwealth Official Member of the Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee; appointment of Lieutenant-General B. H. Slager, Air Member for Personnel, RNAS, and Professor H. Drion, Professor of Civil Law at Leyden University, as Netherlands Honorary Members and Mr H. P. Linthorst Homan, Queen’s Commissioner in the Province of Friesland, as Netherlands Official Member of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee.
Approval of the classification of the 1,265 war graves enumerated in List No. 14 of war graves in the United Kingdom recommended for classification as “not within the Commission’s control”.
General Notes
Announcement regarding the honour accorded to Mr Hogg, the Commission’s Regional Horticultural Officer in Rome, by the Royal Horticultural Society in recognition of distinguished service to horticulture; detailed account of the tour by Mr W. Wynne Mason, Director of External Relations and Records, to the Eastern Region and Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region, which included visits to cemeteries in Colombo, Yokohama War Cemetery, Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery, Stanley Military Cemetery, Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Lae War Cemetery, Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery, Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery, Sydney War Cemetery, Springvale War Cemetery, the Italian cemetery at Murchison and German cemetery at Tatura in Perth, Kranji War Cemetery, Taukkyan War Cemetery, Rangoon War Cemetery and isolated graves in the Far East and Pacific; arrangements for the 5th Meeting of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee.
Other Business
Proposal to commemorate 38 Commonwealth war burials in Tottenham Park Cemetery on a Memorial Wall to be erected in the Second World War plot in Edmonton Cemetery; details of the bequest by Mr William Gibbs to the Commission’s General Fund; progress report on outstanding construction work, including the completion of Ambon War Cemetery and the Ambon Memorial, delays in construction at Mosul War Cemetery and with the erection of memorials at Khanaqin War Cemetery and Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, the concentration of graves and erection of a Cross of Sacrifice at Choc Bay War Cemetery and arrangements for the dedication ceremony for Ambon War Cemetery and Memorial; announcement that Air Chief Marshal Sir Walter Cheshire was to succeed Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest, who was set to retire, as a Member of the Commission.
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 R. M. Miller (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)
Sir Arthur Rucker KCMG CB CBE
Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest KBE CB
Mr David Griffiths MP
General Sir John Anderson GBE KCB DSO ADC
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 |