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The Chairman welcomed Colonel C. F. Black, representative of the High Commissioner for Canada, and Brigadier S. A. Hasan, representative of the High Commissioner for Pakistan, who were attending a Commission Meeting for the first time.
Announcement that Mr A. Howard had succeeded Mr J. Driessen as Secretary of the Department of Public Works in South Africa and Chairman of the Commission’s South African Agency.
Matters arising from the 497th Meeting of the Commission
News concerning a report in an Egyptian newspaper that Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery and Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery would not be removed, and that the Governate of Mersa Matruh were seeking to remove Sollum War Cemetery to El Alamein; arrangements with the Corporation of London to provide granite from London Bridge to the Commission free of charge.
Vice-Chairman of the Commission (ES/1/17)
Appointment of Air Chief Marshal Sir Walter Cheshire as Vice-Chairman of the Commission in succession to Admiral Sir Guy Grantham for a period of three years beginning on 1st April 1970.
Report of the 538th Meeting of the Finance Committee
Explanation of the Commission’s Accounts for 1968/69 with specific referenced to the effect of devaluation of sterling and expenditure for Special and Agency Purposes; discussion concerning the re-organisation of the Commission’s administrative regions, including the addition of the former Tunisia Area into Western Mediterranean Area and the former Levant Area into Eastern Mediterranean Area and the formation of a Near East Area comprising Israel and the territories occupied by Israel, and submission of a Planning Application to the Maidenhead Borough Council in connection with the Commission’s search for a new Head Office; report on the Commission’s experiments with special bricks and cleaning substances to stop the deterioration of the Thiepval Memorial.
Adoption of the 50th Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Commission (CM 11/19) for the year ended 31st March 1969.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees
Appointment of Colonel C. F. Black, Canadian High Commission in London, as Commonwealth Official Member of the Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee; appointment of Mr O. P. Gabites, New Zealand Ambassador at Paris, as Commonwealth Honorary Member of the Commonwealth-French Joint Committee; appointment of Dr W. H. Enklaar, Chairman of the Netherlands War Graves Committee, as Netherlands Official Member of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee.
Graves not within the Commission’s control – United Kingdom
Approval of the classification of the 1,570 war graves enumerated in List No. 20 of war graves in the United Kingdom recommended for classification as “not within the Commission’s control”.
Unmaintainable Graves, Yugoslavia: Belgrade New Cemetery
Approval of the proposed commemoration of one Commonwealth war burial in Belgrade New Cemetery on a special memorial headstone, bearing a suitable superscription, that was to be erected in Belgrade War Cemetery.
Unmaintainable Graves, The Gambia: Bathurst European Cemetery
Approval of the proposed commemoration of six Commonwealth war burials in Bathurst European Cemetery by the erection of four existing headstones, two new headstones and a small memorial bearing an explanatory inscription in Fajara War Cemetery.
East Mudros Military Cemetery
Approval of the proposed modification to the design of East Mudros Military Cemetery by the replacement of existing paving and paths with turf.
Execution of Documents
Resolution concerning with the sale of the former Southern Region Headquarters in Rome.
War Graves and Memorials in West Africa (CM 1/45/8)
Report on the difficulties in maintaining the scattered Commonwealth war graves in West Africa.
Reports from Regions, Areas and Agencies for the Quarter Ended 30th June 1969
Account of the visits by Sir Walter Cheshire to war graves in East Anglia and Mr Allan, Secretary-General and Regional Director, Anzac Agency for the Pacific Region, to the United Kingdom and Northern Regions.
General Notes
Account of visit by Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands to Arnhem War Cemetery; recount of Princess Alexandra’s visit to Kranji War Cemetery and the Duke and Duchess of Kent to Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery; details of Sir Walter Cheshire’s visit to Germany, the Netherlands and Brookwood Military Cemetery; report on forthcoming events, including the Gardeners’ Service in Westminster Abbey and the inauguration ceremony for Dar-es-Salaam (Bagamoyo) War Cemetery.
Other Business
Announcement that Mr Emma Morton had bequeathed a legacy to the Commission’s General Fund; announcement concerning the retirement of Air Arthur Rucker and details of his service with the Commission.
ATTENDEES:
Admiral Sir Guy Grantham GCB CBE DSO (Vice-Chairman of the Commission)
Colonel C. F. Black CD (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Mr F. C. Boyle (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Mr N. V. Farrell (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr P. H. Viljoen (Representing the Ambassador of South Africa)
Major B. N. Satya Murti (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Brigadier S. A. Hasan (Representing the High Commissioner for Pakistan)
Mr J. W. T. Pritchard (Representing the Minister of Public Building and Works)
Sir Arthur Rucker KCMG CB CBE
General Sir John Anderson GBE KCB DSO
Sir Robert Black GCMG OBE
Mr Verner Wylie
Miss Joan Woodgate CBE RRC
Air Chief Marshal Sir Walter Cheshire GBE KCB
SECRETARY
Mr W. J. Chalmers CBE (Director-General)
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 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 J. P. P. Smith |