| Content Note | Topics covered:
Colonel R J Pearce MBE
Welcome extended to Colonel R.J. Pearce MBE, representing the New Zealand High Commissioner, who was attending a Commission Meeting for the first time.
Sir Thomas MacDonald
Announcement of the death of Sir Thomas MacDonald who, as New Zealand High Commissioner in London, had served as a Commissioner from 1961-1967.
Canadian Agency
Announcement of the re-appointment of the Hon Daniel MacDonald as Minister of Veterans Affairs in Canada following the return of the Liberal Government earlier in the year.
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough KCB CBE DFC AFC
Announcement of the appointment of Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough KCB CBE DFC AFC to the post of Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State.
Birthday Honours List
Announcement of the appointment of Mr Laing as a CBE in the Birthday Honours List.
Matters Arising from the Minutes of the 540th Meeting
a) Notes on the Organisation Review where the Finance Committee had agreed that Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough and Sir John Winnifrith should join Sir Robert Black and himself on the Reorganisation Sub-Committee to consider the draft report of the Civil Service Department inspectors.
b) Report on Service Cemeteries in Malta.
c) Update on the Commonwealth - Iraq War Graves Agreement.
d) Update on Memorial unveiled in Bergen General Cemetery, the Netherlands.
Adoption of the Report of the 582nd Meeting of the Finance Committee
Item 4 of the Report concerned increases in pay for the Commission's United Kingdom based non-manual staff, up to the grade of Principal, corresponding to those introduced for comparable grades in the United Kingdom Civil Service.
Item 5 concerned the purchase of headstones from the Commission's contractor in Italy.
Item 6 related to structural maintenance to the Brookwood Memorial and features within the cemetery.
Report on the Valuation of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Superannuation Scheme (1952) as at 31st March 1978
Approval that the basic contribution payable by the Commission to the Trustees of the Scheme shall be 30% of the pensionable pay of each Member on United Kingdom based conditions of service instead of the 16.4% at present stipulated in the Rules and 25% of the pensionable pay of other Members instead of the present rate of 11% or such other rates as shall be determined by the Commission, and that the Trustees of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Superannuation Scheme are authorised to make such modifications, alterations or additions to the Rules of the Scheme as may be necessary or expedient in order to affect this amendment. Approval of the Trustees' proposal to ask the Actuary to prepare the next valuation and report on the Superannuation Fund as at 31 March, 1981.
Amendment to the Rules of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Superannuation Scheme (1952) so that the Trustees of the Scheme are authorised to make such modifications, alterations or additions to the Rules of the Scheme as may be necessary or expedient in order to provide the changes set out in the minutes.
France Area Accommodation
Update on the progress of work on France Area Accommodation, including news that the Royal Assent had been given to the use of the Royal Arms on the new building.
Report on the President's Visit to Italy
Brief summary of report, with comments about vandalism at Magnaboschi British Cemetery which staff had been unable to rectify due to snowfall.
Commemoration of Casualties in the Soviet Union
Discussion of the wording of the inscription to be used on the proposed Memorial for Commemoration of Casualties in the Soviet Union at Brookwood.
South African Agency - Membership
Appointment of Mr T F Wheeler as the fourth member of the South African Agency.
Seventh Meeting of the Commonwealth- Belgian Joint Committee
Report on the Seventh Meeting of the Commonwealth- Belgian Joint Committee.
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees: Appointment of Members
Commonwealth-French Joint Committee:
Mr A E van Niekerk (Minister, South African Embassy, London)
Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee:
His Excellency Dr Jurgen Ruhfus, KBE (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, London)
Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee:
Son Excellence Monsieur Philippe Moreaux (Ministre de l'Interieur)
Commonwealth-Japanese Joint Committee:
Dr M J McNamara (Counsellor, New Zealand Embassy, Tokyo)
Unmaintainable Graves – Namibia/South-West Africa
Approval of the proposal to commemorate the 87 burials of the 1914-1918 War in Windhoek Old Municipal Cemetery and the 4 burials of the 1939-1945 War in the Windhoek (Non-European) Cemetery, by the erection of headstones on the site of the Windhoek War Memorial and the provision of a suitably inscribed plaque.
Graves Not Within The Commission’s Control – United Kingdom
Approval of the classification as not within the Commission's control of the 45 war graves enumerated in Supplementary List No 19. of war graves in the United Kingdom recommended for classification as "not within the Commission' s control", submitted by the Secretary.
Note made of the Annual Report of Exhumation and Re-Interment.
Unmaintainable Graves - Amblerthorn United Methodist Chapelyard, West Yorkshire
Approval of the proposal to commemorate one burial of the 1914-1918 War in Amblerthorn United Methodist Chapelyard, West Yorkshire, by the erection of a Special Memorial, suitably superscribed, in Halifax (Stoney Royd) Cemetery, West Yorkshire.
Unmaintainable Graves - Benhilton (All Saints) Churchyard, Sutton and Cheam, Greater London
Approval of the proposal to commemorate one burial of the 1914-1918 War in Benhilton (All Saints) Churchyard, Sutton and Cheam, Greater London by the erection of a Special Memorial, suitably superscribed, in the same churchyard.
Unmaintainable Graves - Bristol (Greenbank) Cemetery, Avon
Approval of the proposal to commemorate one burial of the 1914-1918 War in Bristol (Greenbank) Cemetery, Avon by the erection of a Special Memorial, suitably superscribed, in the same cemetery.
Unmaintainable Graves - Edlington (St Peter) New Churchyard, South Yorkshire
Approval of the proposal to commemorate the three burials of the 1914-1918 War in Edlington (St Peter) New Churchyard, South Yorkshire by the erection of a single Special Memorial, suitably superscribed, in Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, North Yorkshire.
Unmaintaianble Graves - Heworth (St Mary) Churchyard, Felling, Tyne and Wear
Approval of the proposal to commemorate two burials of the 1914-1918 War and one of the 1939-1945 War in Heworth (St Mary) Churchyard, Felling, Tyne and Wear by the erection of a single Special Memorial, suitably superscribed, in the same churchyard.
Unmaintainable Graves - Sheffield (St Philip) (Wardsend) Church Cemetery, South Yorkshire
Approval of the proposal to commemorate the thirteen burials of the 1914-1918 War and the two burials of the 1939-1945 War in Sheffield (St Philip) (Wardsend) Church Cemetery, South Yorkshire by the erection of a new Screen Wall memorial in Sheffield (City Road) Cemetery, South Yorkshire.
Execution of Documents
Confirmation of the action for the execution by the Commission or on its behalf of the documents, Serial Nos Part I 563 and Part 11 165 and 166, referred to in the Schedule laid before the Meeting and signed for identification by the Commission's Legal Adviser and Solicitor.
Diary Update
Report on the vandalism at Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery.
Report of the Chairman's visit to Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery, Hong Kong, and Suda Bay War Cemetery in Crete and Heraklion Civil Cemetery.
Notes from Sir John Winnifrith of his visit to Rhodes War Cemetery whilst on holiday.
Notes from Admiral Sir David Williams of his visit to France and North West Europe.
Report from Sir Robert Black on his tour to Scotland.
Report from Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough on his visit to North West Europe Area.
Other Business
Notification of the renewal of the Reciprocal Maintenance Agreement with the Netherlands for another 5 years, and a report of an act of vandalism at the Plymouth Memorial.
Attendees:
General Sir Noel Thomas KCB DSO MC (Vice-Chairman of the Commission), in the Chair
Sir Arthur Hockaday KCB CMG (Representing the Secretary of State for Defence)
Mr G. A. Cowley (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Mr F. C. Murray (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Colonel R.J. Pearce MBE (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr A.E. van Niekerk (Representing the Ambassador of South Africa)
Mr R.A. Gomme (Representing the Minister for Housing and Construction)
Sir Robert Black GCMG OBE
Miss Joan Woodgate CBE RRC
Sir John Winnifrith KCB
Edward Gardner ESQ, QC MP
Lord Wallace of Coslany
Air Chief Marshall Sir John Barraclough KCB CBE DFC AFC
Sir Edward Goschen Bt
Admiral Sir David Williams GCB
SECRETARY
Mr A.K. Pallot CMG (Director-General)
ADVISER
Professor Sir Peter Shepheard CBE BArch PPRIBA MRTPI PPILA (Artistic Adviser)
There were also present:
Mr A.S. Laing CBE MVO (Assistant Secretary, Deputy Director-General)
Mr P.R. Matthew (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General) (Operations))
Mr I.E. Morgan (Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
Mr W.H. Dukes (Director of Works)
Mr J.P. Paton NDH (Director of Horticulture)
Mr P.H.M. Swan (Director of External Relations)
Mr H. Westland MIPM (Establishment Officer)
Mr W.J. Symons (Chief Finance Officer)
Mr G.A. Cheater (Director of Information Services)
Mr D. Kennedy (Director, Outer Area)
Mr J.P. Gee (Secretariat) |