| Content Note | Topics covered:
Professor E A Bell, Colonel E J Torrance
Welcome to Professor Bell, attending his first meeting as Honorary Botanical Adviser, and Colonel Torrance, representing the New Zealand High Commissioner for the first time.
Birthday Honours List
Report that Mr Leveridge had been appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Birthday Honours List.
Minister for Housing and Construction
Note of new Minister for Housing and Construction.
Finance Committee
Mentions cancellation of the Finance Committee meeting due to insufficient business.
Organisation Sub-Committee
Note of agreement of Sir David Muirhead to join the Organisation Sub-Committee in place of Admiral Sir David Williams.
Historical Notices
Update on the writing of the remaining 1,000 Historical Notices which were to be written up by Mr Laing over the next two years.
Deaths
Announcement of the deaths of five members of staff and of Major General John Steedman, Director of Works from 1951 to 1963.
Announcement of the death of Viscount Head, Chairman of the Commission from 1951 to 1956, and of the death of General Sir Noel Thomas, a former Commissioner and Vice-Chairman from 1974 to 1981.
Matters Arising from the Minutes of the 552nd Meeting
Including an update on the Proposed UK -GDR War Graves Agreement.
Appointment of a Proper Officer of the Commission
Appointment of Mr William James Symons OBE as a Proper Officer of the Commission.
San Carlos War Cemetery and Memorial, the Falklands
Update on the San Carlos War Cemetery and Memorial, the Falklands as well as rehabilitation of graves at Port Stanley.
Graves Not Within The Commission’s Control – United Kingdom
Discussion of graves not within the Commission's control within the United Kingdom and the complex issues involved.
Eighth Meeting of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee
Report on the Eighth Meeting of the Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee and comments about the value and purpose of such meetings to remind people both on the Commonwealth side and, in this case, on the Netherlands side, who might have come into office as senior officials or ambassadors, of the existence of the work done in a common cause.
Commonwealth- Foreign Joint Committees: Appointment of Members.
Commonwealth-French Joint Committee:
General de Corps d'Armee Alban Barthez (Gouverneur Militaire de Paris)
His Excellency Mr J G McArthur (New Zealand Ambassador, Paris)
Commonwealth-Thai Joint Committee:
Mr P W M Vereker (Counsellor and Consul-General, British Embassy, Bangkok)
Graves Not Within The Commission’s Control – United Kingdom
Approval of the classification as not within the Commission's control of the 13 war graves enumerated in Supplementary List No 25 of war graves in the United Kingdom recommended for classification as 'not within the Commission's control'
Unmaintainable Graves – Bristol (Green Bank) Cemetery, Avon
Approval of the proposal to commemorate one burial of the 1914-1918 War in Bristol (Green Bank) Cemetery, Avon by re-siting the existing headstone in the same cemetery.
Execution of Documents
Confirmation of the action for the execution by the Commission or on its behalf of the documents Serial No Part I 582 to 584 and Part 11 204 to 212, referred to in the Schedule laid before the Meeting.
Report on the President's Visit to Turkey and Egypt, including quote from the President’s letter which was read to those at the Meeting.
Summary of Tours by Head Office Officials, including report from the Secretary on his visits to sites in the United Kingdom and to France and North West Europe area, and a report from Mr Osborn on his visit to the Lebanon with an update on maintenance carried out and still to be done to the Beirut and Sidon Cemeteries.
Diary update with a note from Sir David Muirhead about his visit to France, notes from Sir Edward Goschen about his visits to Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Normandy, and a notification from Mr Gomme that he had visited San Carlos Cemetery in the Falklands.
Mr Robertson’s report on the church service and ANZAC Day ceremony at Sutton Veny.
Announcement that Miss Joan Woodgate and Sir John Winnifrith would be relinquishing their Warrants as Commissioners after the Commission Meeting in September.
Announcement of the retirement of Mr A S Laing after 36 years of service.
Attendees:
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough KCB CBE DFC AFC FRSA (Vice Chairman of the Commission) in the Chair
Mr E. Broadbent CB CMG (Representing the Secretary of State for Defence)
Mr R.A. Gomme (Representing the Minister for Housing and Construction)
Mr J.W. Graham (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Mr R.H. Robertson (Representing the High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia)
Colonel E.J. Torrance OBE (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Lt Col J.P. Singh (Representing the High Commissioner for India)
Miss Joan Woodgate CBE RRC
Sir John Winnifrith KCB
Sir Edward Goschen Bt DSO
Admiral Sir David Williams GCB DL
General Sir Robert Ford GCB CBE
Sir David Muirhead KCMG CVO
SECRETARY:
Sir Arthur Hockaday KCB CMG (Director-General)
ADVISERS:
Mr Peter Scott BSc FICE (Honorary Consultant Engineer)
Professor Sir Peter Shepheard CBE BArch PPRIBA MRTPI PPILA (Honorary Artistic Adviser)
Professor E.A. Bell PhD FLS CChem FRSC (Honorary Botanical 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 J. Saynor (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General (Administration))
Mr N.B. Osborn ARICS (Director of Works)
Mr J.B. Paton NDH (Director of Horticulture)
Mr P.H.M. Swan (Director of External Relations)
Mr G.C. Reddie (Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
Mr H. Westland MIPM (Establishment Officer)
Mr S.G. Campbell MC (Director of Information Services)
Mr W.J. Symons OBE (Chief Finance Officer)
Mr D. Kennedy (Director Outer Area)
Mr T.F. Penfold (Organisation and Audit Officer)
Mr Dol Leveridge MBE (Area Works Officer, Outer Area)
Mrs J Twynam (Assistant Records Officer)
Mr J.P. Gee (Secretariat) |