Older Neath RFC supporters will be sorry to learn of the deaths of Dr. D.M. Davies and Albert Price.

Dr. Davies was a Life Member of the Club, having served as one of its Honorary Medical Officers for over 30 years. A native of the Swansea Valley, Dr. Davies was a talented full back and appeared in a Welsh trial in 1954 whilst studying at St. Mary’s Hospital – Neath’s C.C. (Courtenay) Meredith, Roy John, D.T. (David) Meredith and Brian Sparks all played in that trial and he played for Neath alongside them during holidays.

After returning to South Wales and working for a while at Neath General Hospital, he entered general practice in Neath and will have cared for many a Neath supporter there as well as attending to Neath players in his role as Honorary Medical Officer. Boxing was another of his great sporting loves and he was an official M.O. for the Boxing Board of Control and former Neath secretary Allan Benjamin fondly recalled a professional colleague and friend who gave loyal service to Neath RFC over a long period.

Albert Price, originally from Bedlinog, came to Neath and ran the Post Office in nearby Leonard Street for many years. He soon became a member of the Neath RFC Social Committee and held all its major offices and represented the Social Club on the main Neath RFC Committee.

Like Dr. Davies he was a reliable and steadfast worker for the Neath club for many years and both came from an era and a generation that prided itself on giving voluntary service to their community.

In their very different ways, they made a valuable contribution to Neath RFC at a time when the club rose to dominate British club rugby and both will be sorely missed by all their friends at the club.

MP