| Content Note | Topics covered:
Mr G Freeth, Mr B J Lynch, and Brigadier Mayadas
Chairman's welcome to Mr Freeth, High Commissioner for Australia, Mr Lynch, representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand and Brigadier Mayadas, representing the High Commissioner for India, who were all attending a Commission Meeting for the first time.
Sir William Geraghty
Announcement that a memorial service for Sir William Geraghty had been held at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, on 26 July.
M. P Louise, Mr A B Miller, M. L Cavaro, and Mr A Wybo
Announcement of the death in service of M. P Louise, Mr A B Miller and M. L Cavaro, all Gardeners in France, and Mr A Wybo, a Gardener in Belgium.
Matters arising from the Minutes of the 529th Meeting
a) Update on Estimates, where the major part of India's contribution had been received.
b) Update on the Head Office Air Conditioning System.
c) Update on maintenance issues at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery.
d) Update on the contracting-out of the Occupational Pension now that the four Unions approached had agreed to the proposal to contract-out, and formal notice of the decision had been given to all eligible members of the staff.
Adoption of the Report of the 571st Meeting of the Finance Committee
Item 3 dealt with proposals for improvements to the fencing and roads and the demarcation of boundaries at Brookwood Military Cemetery.
Item 5 dealt with the purchase of roadside direction signs to complete the signposting programme.
Item 9 recommended the upgrading of the accommodation at the Arras Office.
Item 11 dealt with expenditure on motor transport.
58th Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Commission
Approval of the 58th Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Commission for the year ended 31 March 1977.
Port Tewfik and Aden Memorials
Approval for the commemoration in the pavilions at Heliopolis War Cemetery of those formerly commemorated by the Port Tewfik and Aden Memorials, with discussion on the name panels to be erected, with emphasis on their material composition and the style and appearance of the lettering.
Historical Notices In Cemeteries
Approval for Historical Notices to be erected in cemeteries and at memorials where their provision is considered to be necessary, with suggestions for coin-operated machines playing taped historical commentaries and specific comments about the notices for Beny-sur-Mer and Sarigol cemeteries.
Oslo Western Civil Cemetery
Approval of the proposal set out in the Paper reference CEM 19682 and dated 21 September 1977 for the relocation, within Oslo Western Civil Cemetery, of the British War Memorial.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees: Appointment of Members.
Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee:
Son Excellence Monsieur Henri Boel (Ministere de l'Interieur)
Commonwealth-French Joint Committee:
His Excellency Monsieur Jean Sauvagnargues (French Ambassador, London)
Monsieur Robert Garabiol (Ingenieur General des Ponts et Chaussees Secretaire General du Conseil General des Ponts et Chaussees Ministere de l'Equipement et de l'Amenagement du Territoire)
Monsieur Marcel Blanc (Directeur Gen'ral des Collectivites Locales Ministere de l'Interieur)
Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee:
His Excellency Monsieur Jean-Pierre Brunet (French Ambassador, Bonn)
Brigadier M Mayadas (Military Adviser, Indian High Commission, London)
Commonwealth-Italian Joint Committee:
Lieutenant-General Pietro Tolomeo (Commissioner-General Italian Commission for the Commemoration of the War Dead)
Mr Brian Lynch (Deputy High Commissioner, New Zealand High Commission, London)
Commonwealth-Japanese Joint Committee:
Mr Iwao Nishiwaki (Director, General Affairs Bureau, Yokohama City Office)
Mr Hiroshi Nomura (Director, National Property Inspection Division Ministry of Finance)
Unmaintainable Graves – Walkden (St Paul) Churchyard, Greater Manchester
Approval of the proposal to commemorate six burials of the 1914-1918 War in Walkden (St Paul) Churchyard, Greater Manchester by a single screen wall erected in the same churchyard.
Diary Update
Note that the Chairman had visited the new United Kingdom Area office in Leamington Spa.
Report from Sir John Winnifrith of his visit to the Ypres area, starting off at Mons where he had visited the first cemetery of the 1914-1918 War, with some discussion about pensions for UK-based gardening staff.
Report on a tour made by Mr Scott and Mr Shepheard in France and Belgium during August.
Report on maintenance issues from Mr Dukes on his recent tour in the West Indies and Canada, including St Lucia, Trinidad, Jamaica, and the Bahamas.
Reminder that the Gardeners' Service would be held in Westminster Abbey at noon on Friday 11 November.
Note that the film 'I Will Make You a Name' would be shown on BBC 2 at six o'clock on Saturday 12 November.
Note that on Remembrance Sunday the usual broadcast would be by Gabriel Woolf on Radio 4 at 102.5.
Other Business
Update on the situation in Iraq.
Update on the proposal for the removal of Rangoon War Cemetery.
Update on water supply issues at Tobruk War Cemetery.
Attendees:
General Sir Noel Thomas KCB DSO MC (Vice-Chairman of the Commission), in the Chair
Mr A.P. Hockaday CB CMG (Representing the Secretary of State for Defence)
Mr R. H. Noyes Roberts (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
His Excellency The Honourable Gordon Freeth (High Commissioner for Australia)
Mr B.J. Lynch (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr T.F. Wheeler (Representing the Ambassador of South Africa)
Brigadier M. Mayadas (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Sir Robert Black GCMG OBE
Miss Joan Woodgate CBE RRC
Sir John Winnifrith KCB
Admiral Sir Frank Twiss KCB DSC
The Lord Wallace of Coslany
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough KCB CBE DFC AFC
SECRETARY
Mr A.K. Pallot CMG
ADVISER
Mr P. A. Scott BSc FICE (Honorary Consulting Engineer)
There were also present:
Mr A.S. Laing MVO (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General (Secretariat))
Mr J. Saynor (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General (Administration))
Mr P.R. Matthew BA (Assistant Secretary, Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
Mr W.H. Dukes OBE (Director of Works)
Mr W.F.W. Harding OBE BSc (Hort) FLS (Director of Horticulture)
Mr P.H.M. Swan (Director of External Relations)
Mr G.A. Cheater (Director of Information Services)
Mr D.L. Ayers (Secretariat) |