25 Facts About Alec Smith

Alexander Douglas Smith was a Zimbabwe National Army chaplain and son of Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith.

At the time Watt met Alec Smith, she was struggling to support herself and two young children on a modest teacher's salary.

Ian Smith adopted Watt's two children, Robert and Jean, from her earlier marriage and brought them up, as his own, with Alec.

The younger Alec Smith later suggested that this had caused his family life to suffer.

Alec Smith attended Chaplin High School, and in 1970, Smith began studying law at Rhodes University in South Africa.

Alec Smith first came to public attention at this time by applying for a British passport while declaring that he did not agree with his father's political views and still considered himself a loyal British subject.

Alec Smith was expelled from the university at the end of his first year in 1971.

Whilst returning from a subsequent holiday in Portuguese-ruled Mozambique, Alec Smith was found to be in possession of 200 grams of cannabis by the South African authorities.

Alec Smith was convicted of drug trafficking, fined and given a suspended prison sentence.

Alec Smith served without distinction as a conscript in the Rhodesian Security Forces.

In 1972, Alec Smith declared himself a born-again Christian, stating that God had freed him from his past debauchery and helped him see the injustice of racial discrimination.

Alec Smith aligned himself with the Moral Rearmament group, held public meetings promoting majority rule, and befriended a number of Black nationalist leaders.

Alec Smith was called up, but declined to serve and relocated overseas to London.

The elder Alec Smith seemed to accept his son's decision and the two remained in regular contact via letter and telephone.

Whilst living in London, Alec Smith met Elisabeth Knudsen, an exchange student from Norway.

Ian Alec Smith later related considerable bitterness over the refusal of the international community to recognise Rhodesia, and described the Norway incident as 'the final straw'.

Alec Smith finally returned to Zimbabwe between December 1979 and March 1980.

Alec Smith remained ostracised by some White Zimbabweans who considered him a traitor, and more than a few Black Zimbabweans who refused to accept him due to his family.

MRA member Joram Kucherera used contacts inside ZANU-PF to approach Mugabe while Alec Smith approached his father Ian.

Alec Smith took no further role in politics, although he remained active in community issues through the development of sport.

In December 2005, Alec Smith travelled to Norway with his wife Elisabeth in order to join her relatives for Christmas.

Whilst in the transit lounge at Heathrow Airport, Alec Smith suddenly suffered a heart attack and died almost instantly.

Alec Smith's body was later returned to Norway for cremation whilst a memorial service was held at the Anglican cathedral in Harare.

Ian Alec Smith was reported to have been devastated by the news and not to have recovered from it either mentally or physically.

Alec Smith was described by someone who knew him later in his life as follows:.