Record

Unique IDCWGC/2/2/1/561
TitleCOMMISSION MEETING NO.561 - June 1985
Multimedia

8b\c0fe8e-9733-430a-86c9-06591aa3a78f.pdf

DescriptionMinutes of the 561st Meeting of the Commission
Content NoteTopics covered:

Deaths
Announcement of the death of His Excellency the Honourable Joseph Walding, the High Commissioner for New Zealand on June 4th.
Announcement of the death of Mr Robert Wall, a former Director of the Commission's United Kingdom and North West Europe Areas.
Announcement of the death in service of Mr G D Shingler, a Senior Head Gardener in France Area and a member of the Commission's staff for nearly thirty years; Announcement of the death of Professor Paolo Rossi, Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies and President of the Constitutional Court in Italy, and a member of the Commonwealth-Italian Joint Committee for over twenty years.

Canadian Representative
The Chairman welcomed Mr Pelletier, who was representing the Canadian High Commissioner for the first time.

Secretariat
Thanked Mr McGee for his work in the Secretariat and welcomed Mr Benton as his successor.

Honours and Awards
Announcement of the award of the Medal of the Order of Australia to Mr Matt-Dwyer, Horticultural Officer at the Office of Australian War Graves, and of the election of Mr Neil Osborn, the Commission's Director of Works as a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Matters Arising from the Minutes of the 560th Meeting
Update on the German Democratic Republic War Graves agreement and problems in Lebanon, and on the resolution of the responsibility for San Carlos Cemetery.

Report of the President's visit to North West Europe Area
Including visits to the Commission cemeteries and memorials in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Report of the Eighth Meeting of the Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee on 5 - 7 June 1985.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission – Superannuation Scheme
Update on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Superannuation Scheme, including approval of Nominee Holding Companies, Modification of Trust Deed on the Trustees' Powers of Investment, and report on the valuation of the fund as at 31st March 1984 with agreement that no change be made in contributions to the Superannuation Scheme.

Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees - Future Meetings
Agreement that consultations should be initiated on proposed Changes to future meetings of the Commission's Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees where all future meetings might be held in the host country rather than alternately in the United Kingdom and overseas.

Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees – Appointment of Members
Appointment of Secretary- General and New Members to the Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees, including approval of the appointment of Mr R.J. Dalley as Secretary-General of each of the following Joint Committees from 1st October 1985 :- The Commonwealth-Belgian Joint Committee, The Commonwealth-French Joint Committee, The Commonwealth-German-French Joint Committee, The Commonwealth-Italian Joint Committee, The Commonwealth-Netherlands Joint Committee, The Commonwealth-Japanese Joint Committee.

Burials and Commemorations
Update including approval of the alternative commemoration in the United Kingdom of nine war dead, the classification of ''not within the Commission's control" of 14 war graves and the approval of the alternative commemoration in Australia of five war dead.

Execution of Documents
Confirmation of the action for the execution by the Commission or on its behalf of the documents laid before the meeting.

Summary of Tours by Head Office Officials and Commissioners
Including the Secretary's report of his visit to the Far East, Mr Matthew's Report on his visit to Greece and Turkey, and Sir Donald Maitland's report on his visit to the cemetery at Nairobi.

Diary update
With record made of the Chairman's attendance at the Anzac Day Service in Westminster Abbey on behalf of the Commission.

Farewells to Mr Bruce Brown, Mr Allan Lever and Mr Stuart Campbell.

MEMBERS:
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough KCB CBE DFC AFC FRSA (Vice-Chairman of the Commission) in the Chair
Mr J. N. H. Blelloch CB (Representing the Secretary of State for Defence)
Mr R. A. Gomme (Representing the Minister for Housing and Construction)
Mr E. Pelletier (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Mr A. L. Vincent (Representing the High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia)
Mr B. M. Brown (Acting High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr L. H. Evans (Representing the Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa)
Sir Edward Gardner QC MP
Lord Wallace of Coslany
Sir Edward Goschen Bt DSO
General Sir Robert Ford GCB CBE
Sir David Muirhead KCMG CVO
Sir Donald Maitland GCMG OBE

ADVISER:
Professor Sir Peter Shepheard CBE BArch PPRIBA MRTPI PPILA (Honorary Artistic Adviser)

SECRETARY:
Sir Arthur Hockaday KCB CMG (Director-General)

Also in attendance:
Mr P. R. Matthew (Assistant Secretary, Deputy Director-General)
Mr J. Saynor JP (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General (Administration))
Mr W. J. Symons OBE (Assistant Secretary, Assistant Director-General (Operations))
Mr H. Westland MIPM (Establishment Officer)
Mr P. H. M. Swan (Director of External Relations)
Mr N.B. Osborn FRICS (Director of Works)
Mr G. C. Reddie (Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
Mr M. S. Johnson ACMA (Chief Finance Officer)
Mr B. P. McGee (Secretariat)
Mr S. J. Benton (Secretariat)
Date20/6/1985
Extent1 file
CollectionArchive
CategoryMeeting Notes
ArchNotePlease note that the downloadable document is the final version of the Committee Meeting minutes. Additional information, including the verbatim minutes and subsidiary reports, may be available in the physical file.
Add to My Items