FRANCO-BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MERVILLE BATTERY
BOARD MEETING of 2 MARCH 2014
Were Presents : Olivier Paz, Gérard Pareau, Béatrice Guillaume, Michel Abraham, Neil Barber, Norman Mc Kay, Sylvie Dupont, Claudie Léal, Chantal Pareau, Patrick Dagorn et Alan Edwards
Were Excused absent : Jocelyne Bougnon, Carl Schilleto, Ron Mc Caffery
Guests : John Power, Michael Strong, Pascaline Dagorn, Philip Milford
The President welcomes the members of the Board.
He also welcomes two guests of honour to the meeting: Colonel John Power and Major Michael Strong who both know the Battery very well.
Mr Paz also presents the apologies for Alan Edwards who will be slightly late.
- Approval of the minutes of the previous Board meeting
The President asks for the approval of the minutes of the Board meeting of the 23rd of November 2013. John Power expressed his surprise that the fact that the monument was to be entirely financed by the AANT was written into the minutes. This point was to be reviewed upon the arrival of Mr Edwards.
Mr Edwards arrives at 09h45. The discussion concerning the financing of the monument resumes. Mr Paz had obtained 1000 € from the Comité du Débarquement. Alan Edwards said that the 9th Battalion would pay 3000 €. The sword would cost £ 3647 to be paid by the AANT. The cost of the monument totals 12100 €. The AANT’s President accepted the estimate but the AANT explained its financial difficulties.
7700 € have yet to be found but the AANT does not have sufficient finances as the number of Veterans is dwindling and the trust does not benefit from any help from the British government. We wil therefore have “to cut the pear in two” and split the difference with the AANT paying half and the Franco-British Association taking on the other half. The President proposes to launch a subscription amongst the membership to raise the necessary funds. The plaque indicating that the stele was unveiled by Prince Charles will not be made until a week beforehand in case the Prince will be unable to come.
These points being accepted the minutes are unanimously approved.
- Provisional Results for 2013.
Mr Pareau presents the accounts as closed by the chartered accountant. The auditor may suggest some technical changes next week.
The President insists on the importance of making a profit this year as it will be easier to obtain a loan when purchasing the adjacent property if the bank can see the healthy state of the association’s finances. The funds needed are estimated between 700000€ to 750000€ to buy the land and establish the building and the car park: it should be possible to obtain subsidies of 300000€ which leaves a balance of 450000€ to be found
PROPOSED TAX FREE BALANCE FOR 2013Forecast / Actual / 2012
Receipts
ASSOCIATION / 10100 / 14125 / 9414
MUSEUM TOTAL / 320000 / 342820 / 322374
TICKETS / 271592 / 253740
SALES / 71228 / 68633
EMPLOYMENT AIDS / 18000 / 17163 / 17061
REPAYMENT
TOTAL RECEIPTS / 348100 / 374108 / 348849
Expenses
DEPRECIATION / 36000 / 22950 / 52831
Stock variation / 0 / -2857 / -1148
PURCHASES FOR SALE / 35000 / 39258 / 41773
ASSOCIATION / 25900 / 27828 / 16771
WORKS / 7000 / 1070 / 2495
MISC. / 5000 / 2628 / 3052
MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS / 22000 / 28903 / 12286
BANK CHARGES / 1560 / 1271 / 1771
STAFF PAY / 107000 / 95912 / 93032
GENERAL EXPENSES / 24710 / 29022 / 24508
ADVERTISING / 45000 / 51771 / 47580
LOANS / 886 / 841 / 1576
VEHICLE / 650 / 1174 / 694
TRAVEL EXPENSES BOARD MTGS &AGM / 10000 / 10691 / 6385
PURCHASE OF ARTEFACTS / 2000 / 1577 / 3476
PREPARATION FOR 70TH / 2038
EXCEPTIONAL EXPENSES / 3590 / 3753
TOTAL EXPENSES / 322706 / 317668 / 310835
Profit or Loss / BEFORE TAX / 25394 / 56440 / 38014
INVESTMENTS
Screens for casemate 2 / 1000
Sound for casemate 3 / 25000 / 24471
1 serigraphic panel and information stands / 1000
FOUL WATER WORKS / 7500
FLAGPOLES / 1000
Computer equipment / 931
Cash register / 2178
TOTAL / 35500 / 27580 / 42257
We expect a much greater income this year but the outgoings will also be higher for the 70th Anniversary.
The Board accepts the treasurer’s report unanimously and the President thanks the Treasurer Gérard Parreau, emphasising his remarkable work and his daily presence which means that the accounts are always perfectly up to date.
Update of 2014 Budget :
BUDGET DETAILS OF CEREMONIESJUNE 2014
RECEIPTS / RESPONSIBLE / HT
MEALS (05 evening) based on 470 dinersx20€ incl. / 8545
reconstitution billets actualisé avec tarif 07/02 (?) / 18805
Program sales / 7109
ball estimated at 350 entries at 10€ incl + one free drink / 2917
Sale of drinks and “petits fours” at the ball / 2714
Sale of drinks on other sites / 6500
Sub-total / 46591
Requested subsidies
Regional Council
General Council / 9000
State / 1000
Town Hall / 15000
AANT STELE / 2000
Sub-total / 27000
TOTAL RECEIPTS / 73591
EXPENSES / RESPONSIBLE / HT
Hire for re-enactment / 600
OLIVIER / Sound and light charges / 37925
OLIVIER / Donations to Asso France 44 et STHAL M1+pipe band / 3000
BEATRICE/MICHEL / Booklet + tickets / 1816
CHANTAL / 05 evening meals / 7300
CHANTAL / Veterans’ meals / 1600
CHANTAL / Actors’ and extras’meals(06 et 08) / 3500
CHANTAL / Volunteers’meals / 1200
CHANTAL / Hire for meals and reception / 2500
CHANTAL / Actors’ and extras’meals 05 (all in) / 1000
CLAUDIE / Drinks / 9100
CHANTAL / «petits fours» etc for reception / 800
SYLVIE / orchestra of 8 musicians evening of 07 (all in) / 2400
SYLVIE / Sound, dance floor hire and misc. for ball / 4355
SYVAIN / Safety and security / 2000
SYLVAIN / Red Cross / 1000
OLIVIER/PASCALINE / purchase and equipping of containers / 5000
MICHEL / Hire of toilets (site) / 800
PASCALINE / Coach transport / 1875
OLIVIER / insurance / 800
Contingency fund / 3000
Small equipment / 1000
PASCALINE / cameramen / 4010
OLIVIER / Inspection bureau for stands / 600
sacem/spre taxes / 780
SYLVIE / Sales of “petits fours” ball / 220
MASS / 1000
TOTAL EXPENSES / 99181
BALANCE / -25590
Mr Pareau presents the provisional budget adjustments for 2014 as well as the expenditure and receipts details for 2014 concerning the ceremonies.
Land Acquisition:
The proprietors have agreed to sell the land to the Association, the local urbanisation plan will take effect at the end of this summer and we should therefore acquire the land in question in September. One hectare will cost about 12000€. Mr Pareau further informs the meeting by giving the treasury figures on the evening of 27th of February: 214000€. He points out that bearing in mind the total wages bill and the different charges payable the working capital available required to start each year must be about 100000€.
Works in Progress and Site Improvements:
Mr Dagorn presents works that have been carried out: the floor in casemate 11 has been raised to limit the effects of possible flooding; the gun has been repainted and numerous external jobs have been done. The British gun which is actually situated on the magazine will be moved to one of the mobile gun positions.
Madame Dagorn adds the following information: concerning visitor safety, one of the concrete steps at the exit of casement 11 has been cut to widen the entrance as last year a visitor fell on this step and his injury necessitated 10 stitches. She added that all the bunker doors had been repainted and the guardroom wall had been redone and a protective grille had been fitted to prevent theft. Welding work has been done on the doors and a wall in casement 3 has been reinforced. Because of water seepage all the earth on the casemates will probably have to be removed in order to waterproof the structure before replacing the soil. The ditch around casemate 4 has been repaired. All these ‘small’ jobs are done by volunteers who come to the site each day.
- CEREMONIES PROGRAM
Organised by the Battery Association.
CEREMONIES FOR THE 70th ANNIVERSARY OF D. DAY.
From Wednesday 4 to Monday 9 June:
British (by ‘France 44’) and German camps set up on battery site.
Exhibition of British military vehicles.
Food and refreshments available afternoon and evening.
Thursday 5 June:
13h00: Veterans of the 9 Battalion will be on the site.
Late afternoon
Official ceremony at the Battery in the presence of HRH Prince Charles, the Veterans and their families.
20h30: 9th Battalion Grand Curry on site of the Battery (reservations only 20€).
23h00: Fireworks on site by Normandie Mémoire and simultaneously on 23 other landing beaches.
Friday 6 June:
13h00: Veterans all present on site
20h00: Bagpipe concert by the Mc Farlan Pipe Band.
22h30: re-enactment of the attack on the Battery with 150 participants followed by a firework display organised by the Battery museum.
Seats 6€, standing 3€.
Saturday 7 June:
10h00: Official ceremony of N°3 Commando in the presence of the veterans and their families.
11h00: Ceremony to mark the official award of ‘Monument Historique’ to the C47 aircraft ‘THE SNAFU SPECIAL’ in the presence of French and foreign dignitaries.
Flypast (in preparation)
Exhibition of military vehicles on the beach car park followed by a motorcade to the Town Hall at 21h30.
22h00 to 03h00: Army Ball at the Merville-Franceville gymnasium.
Sunday 8 June:
10h30: Open air mass on the site of the Battery.
20h00: Bagpipe concert by the Mc Farlan Pipe Band.
22h30: Re-enactment of the attack on the Battery with 150 participants followed by a firework display organised by the Battery museum.
Seats, 6€. Standing, 3€.
5th JUNE CEREMONIES:
We will begin with the unveiling of the Cross of Sacrifice which will be covered by a parachute. The rest of the ceremony will be the same as the others. Olivier is counting on the care of all so that the ceremony proceeds with precision: there is no room for error. Prince Charles’ Aide de Camp has requested a detailed program: after the unveiling ceremony Mr Paz will suggest visiting casemate 2 and then the Sound and Light in casemate 11. The Prince will then have 15 minutes in private with the veterans after which with the other personalities. Alan Edwards states that Prince Charles will be present from 18h30 to 20h.
Mr Paz also states that the entire team is extremely honoured to welcome Prince Charles but that the most important guests are, nevertheless, the Veterans. Mr Edwards confirms that the Parachutists’ Band will be present.
A discussion follows concerning passes and security. Photocopies of I.D. papers and vehicle registration numbers will have to be provided.
Any change in this program will be conveyed to members of the board.
DEED of GIFT of the C47 “The SNAFU SPECIAL” from the TOWN HALL to the FRANCO- BRITISH ASSOCIATION:
The C47 is due to become the property of the museum association and a deed of gift is to be signed by the mayor and the Franco-British Association’s representative Mr Edwards as soon as the official classification is published in the ‘Journal Officiel’.
AGREEMENT with the FARMERS of ADJACENT PROPERTIES:
The Conservatoire du Littoral is the owner of the land managed by the museum as well as the two properties to the west of the site which are worked by farmers. The law provides that the Conservatoire must confer the management of these properties to the main entity and, therefore, as and from this year the association will receive the rentals from the farmers of about 250 to 300€ annually. In order to maintain our good relationship with the Conservatoire the President proposes that these rents be paid back to the Conservatoire in the form of a gift as soon as they appear in the accounts.
DATES for the NEXT BOARD MEETING and AGM:
The President puts the date of 12 April forward for the A.G.M. and this is accepted by all present. This A.G.M. is to be immediately followed by a board meeting to elect bureau members. The end-of-year board meeting was fixed, by common agreement, for Saturday 22 November at 9h30 at the Merville-Franceville town hall.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
Mr Strong suggests getting in touch with the Germans for their help in financing the Cross of Sacrifice. All the members are in favour of this approach.
Mr Power wants to be assured that the British flag will never be removed from the site, even when the American flag is raised for the U.S. Ambassador. The President emphasises that not only has such a thing has never happened nor will it ever. Whenever an important foreign guest is present on site the European flag is lowered to be replaced by that of the country involved. The administrators approve of this protocol.
There being no further business the session is closed at 12h53.