Devoted newspaper man was African war veteran

Former "desert rat" Frank Smith of Barnstaple who worked in the newspaper business in North Devon for 37 years, has died.

He passed away on January 18 in hospital at the age of 94.

He leaves behind his son Ronnie and daughter Claire, seven grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter. His other son David predeceased him in 2007.

Born in 1917 in London, Frank evacuated to North Devon with his family at the start of the Second World War.

Aged 22, he joined the Royal Green Jackets, 1st division of the Eighth Army, Rifle Brigade. He did his basic training on Salisbury Plain where he met actor David Niven who invited him to his wedding.

Frank became part of the long range desert group and spent nearly six years in North Africa.

He organised the running of the Officers' Mess in Ismailia, on the banks of the Suez Canal, and was in charge of and drove Bren gun carriers as the group crossed the desert.

After the war he returned to Barnstaple. He met his wife-to-be Joan at the Assembly Rooms, now the Conservative Club, paying two shillings to get in, the equivalent of ten pence in today's money. They were married six weeks later on September 23, 1946.

During their early married life he ran the post office in Newton Tracey, then worked for Woolaways.

He also tried his hand at bus driving, but he knocked the blind off Mr Sweet's sweet shop in Barnstaple which put paid to a career behind the wheel.

Eventually he became district manager for the Express and Echo and Western Times.

He worked there for 37 years until retiring in 1982 and during that time became a keen photographer.

On retirement, Frank and Joan attended Royal British Legion and Eighth Army reunions.

Frank wore his medals at marches with pride, remembering his days as a desert rat. He also met the Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Rommel's son and the Forces' sweetheart Vera Lynn.

He lived a very full life and was never still. He always had a job to do or somewhere to go.

He was happy if he could help someone with his time or by sharing the endless supply of items he had accumulated throughout his life.

He never threw anything away and if someone else was getting rid of good stuff, he would have it. Nothing went to waste.

He even recycled a prefabricated section from his old newspaper offices when they were being refurbished, turning it into the wall of a shower room. And many happy hours were spent at his treasured chalet in Croyde, doing DIY to his heart's content.

He had high standards and was never late for anything.

He developed firm friendships among the staff at his "local", the Royal and Fortescue Hotel in Barnstaple.

On his 90th birthday, staff rolled out the red carpet, formed a guard of honour with plastic swords, and presented him with a pint of Guinness, his favourite tipple, on a silver tray.

He was a proud and dignified man, never wanting to be a nuisance to others and he devoted many years to looking after his wife Joan who passed away in April 2002. He also cared for her sister and his own son David when he became terminally ill.