Rushden Musician's Death Pneumonia Contracted When Returning Home - A Sad Bereavement

With much sorrow we record the death of Musician Lance-Corporal Alec Smith, Royal Marines, of H.M.S. "Royal Oak," son of Mr and Mrs G Smith, of 14, East-grove, Rushden. Lance-Corpl Smith, whilst on his way to England from Malta nearly two months ago, was taken ill with pneumonia, and on arriving at Plymouth was admitted to hospital. For seven weeks he made practically no progress in spite of careful nursing, and the end came on Saturday through pleurisy and other complications. The deceased would have been 25 years of age in another month.

We have recently reported the success which attended Lance-Corpl Smith's efforts as a musician. The ease with which he passed a stiff examination last November and his progress in theory and practice since left little doubt in the minds of his fellow-bandsmen that he would shortly have been bandmaster.

During the time of his illness two of his brothers were able to visit him in hospital in Plymouth. The news of the death of Lance-Corpl Smith came as a great blow to his parents, who are highly respected in Rushden, and with whom much sympathy is felt.

The body was conveyed to Rushden on Wednesday.