11th Generation  

54. Michael Howard Ulph SMITH [3512] (Margaret Mary Theresa Eileen GREER⁴⁶, Margherita Giuseppa Carla Maria Joanna WHITWORTH⁴¹, Giuseppa Lorenza Antonia ETHERIDGE²⁸, William Edwin ETHERIDGE²¹, Charles Edward ETHERIDGE⁷, William ETHERIDGE⁵, Henry ETHERIDGE⁴, Jane PINNICK³, Robert², Robert¹) was born in 1954 in Nambour QLD Australia. Another name for Michael is Mickle.

General Notes: Michael was born at Nambour in Queensland following his conception in Tenant Creek. He had a wandering childhood and education from Nambour through Brisbane to Sydney, N.S.W. and finally at age 15 years to England. Amongst the many Schools he attended were Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College at Bowral in N.S.W., Kedron High School in Brisbane and Imberhorne Comprehensive School in East Grinstead, Sussex, England. On leaving School he enlisted in the British Army as a Sapper and served in England, Germany, Cyprus and Northern Ireland, between the years 1971 to 1977. Following his discharge he returned to Australia with his Wife, where he was employed in various capacities including Security Guard and Property Maintenance. He returned to England in late 1978 and worked for I.C.L. Computers until his second return to Aust. in 1984. He was employed as Property Manager for a time until he commenced operating his own Property Maintenance Business in 1987. He and his Wife
seperated in 1985, and were divorced in 1987. H.U.Smith. February 1988.
In 2016 Michael and his current Partner, Olivera [Nikolic] Fitzgerald moved to Belgrade to spend Time in Europe.
In an e-Mail received from Michael in August 2018, he reminisces on his Time in the British Army in Northern Ireland as follows:
it was the '70's and I don't remember much... 1974 to be precise, probably spring/summer as I had not long turned 19 I think. Don't remember much but I was based in Ballymacarrett, possibly in an old (fortified) church, off the Newtownards Rd, I think we were reasonably close to the Working Mens Club (I clearly remember a building, across a demolished area, with one end painted with a Red Hand and the UFF (or maybe UVF) symbol. We used to do foot patrols around Ballymacarrett and the Harlan & Woolf dockyards, I remember the big crane "Goliath" very clearly, (4 hours on and 4 hours off) and vehicle patrols which took us further afield including the Crumlin, Shankill and Falls Rd's also we would man vehicle stops for ID checking on the Newtownards Rd and every 28 days we would get 3 days R&R and while some would fly back to Germany (where my Regiment was based) or England/Scotland/Wales most of us would head off to Bangor, a little fishing village with plenty of pubs and little threat from the IRA and such. But my most abiding memory was getting into all kinds of strife because of... that's right, a woman! I was in love with a local girl from the Falls Rd... Cathy Bell. The Army used to organise dances on board the HMS "something" (might have been Belfast) where I met said Cathy Bell, anyway I arranged (in my hormone fuelled, 19 year old headspace, minus a brain) to meet her one night at the gates to the wharfs... fortunately for me I was picked up by a patrol before I managed to get to the gates and taken back and charged with being an idiot! Very shortly after that they showed us a video of young squaddies being lured by pretty girls and ending up shot in the back of the head - don't how true it was (may have been a propaganda scare tactic to keep us in line) but probably should have showed it before I went walkabout. Mostly, my time in Belfast was about trying to get as much sleep as possible... most of the time we all just slept in our uniforms because we come back from patrol and just flop on the bed knowing we would be up again in 3 hours or so. Only 1 more thing to add, during our foot patrols we had a regular stop for a cup of tea, a lady, with 2 young daughters (13 &15) would always invite us in (daily) and serve us tea and cakes - extraordinarily kind! That's my memories of Northern Ireland.
And, subsequently, on his Time in Germany:
Can't remember exactly but we used to practice on the Weser at Hamelin and often went out for night exercises to Rinteln, Emmertal and other places I can't remember along the Weser, as well as doing joint exercises at Osnabruch and Bielefeld. On a bridge, at night, everybody got to sleep in shifts except the pilots (there are no spare pilots); the rig commander, driver and crewman slept on the engine covers (the rigs had two big Deutz diesel engines, one for the road wheels, main propeller and hydraulics and the second drove the side props and related hydraulics) which were always very warm. The squadron was made up of 4 Troops. The safety boat crew were relieved every 4 hours as were the watch, these guys all came from Admin Troop along with support vehicle drivers, cooks etc; REME provided mechanics and recovery vehicles (wreckers) and the rig crews came from Troops 1, 2 and 3 . There were 4 Squadrons in the Regiment (28 Amphibious Regiment) and Admin squadron and 3 Squadrons who's primary function was to build bridges and then get killed by enemy (Russia) air strikes. There was only ever one Amphibious Regiment in the British Army, based in Hamelin in Germany, as well as Troop 3 of 24 Independent Squadron, primarily for UK based training of crews and as a show troop for demonstration purposes for big wigs, but with only 2 rigs the best we could do was show how to join one to another, based at Kitchener Barracks in Chatham - I served in both 28 Regiment and 24 Squadron (training other pilots).

Noted events in his life were:

• Birth: Nambour General Hospital, 1854, Nambour QLD Australia.

Michael married Lesley Margaret BEARD [3514], daughter of Geroge BEARD [3979] and Shiela Ann CULLEN [3963], in Walderslade C of E Kent England. The marriage ended in divorce. Lesley was born on Dec 30, 1957 in Chatham Kent England.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 58    i. Jaclyn Anne Marie Lucy SMITH [3515] was born on Aug 23, 1978 in Balmain Hospital Balmain Sydney NSW Australia.

+ 59    ii. Private [3516]

Michael next married Olivera NIKOLIC [43390], daughter of Todor NIKOLIC [118714] and Jelica MARINKOVIC [118715], on Apr 23, 2019 in Belgrade Old Town Serbia. Olivera was born on Oct 21, 1959 in Pancevo Vojvodina Province Serbia. Another name for Olivera is Olja.

55. Gregory John SMITH [3513] (Margaret Mary Theresa Eileen GREER⁴⁶, Margherita Giuseppa Carla Maria Joanna WHITWORTH⁴¹, Giuseppa Lorenza Antonia ETHERIDGE²⁸, William Edwin ETHERIDGE²¹, Charles Edward ETHERIDGE⁷, William ETHERIDGE⁵, Henry ETHERIDGE⁴, Jane PINNICK³, Robert², Robert¹) was born on Jul 20, 1958 in Barcaldine Hospital Barcaldine Queensland Australia. Another name for Gregory is Grooble.

General Notes: Gregory was born in Barcaldine, in Western Queens- land. He, with his Brother had a wandering education, attending amongst other Schools, Waverley and Bondi Public Schools, Eagle Junction School in Brisbane, Imberhorne Comprehensive School in East Grinstead, Sussex; and finally Hunter's Hill HIgh School in Sydney, Australia.
On leaving School he was employed and trained as a Ticket Writer. He followed this occupation for some four years until he joined his Parents in their Property Renovation and Rental business. He commenced his own Property business in 1987. He has considerable talents, both artistically and musically. He founded a number of musical "Groups" including the somewhat less than famous "Worm Technology". He embraced Christianity in his early 20's; and was very active with his Church, St. Andrew's C.of E., Lane Cove, Sydney. He was a "Fellowship" Leader; and annually joined the Beach Mission run by the C.of E. at Port Stephens, North of Sydney, where he generally provided the Musical entertainment and with his Wife and friends produced an annual Puppet Show.
H.U.Smith. February 1988.

Gregory married Fiona Jane GOTHARD [3517], daughter of Barry [22531] and Lois RANDALL [22530], on May 7, 1982 in St Andrews C.of E. Lane Cove NSW. Fiona was born on May 2, 1963 in Annandale Sydney NSW Australia.

Noted events in her life were:

• Adoption: Lane Cove Sydney NSW Australia.

• Adoption:

Children from this marriage were:

+ 60    i. Sarah Louise SMITH [3518] was born on Oct 25, 1983 in Royal North Shore Hospital St Leonards Sydney NSW Australia.

+ 61    ii. Amanda Jane SMITH [3519] was born on Apr 25, 1986 in Royal North Shore Hospital St Leonards Sydney NSW Australia.

+ 62    iii. Emily Rose SMITH [3542] was born on Jun 27, 1991 in Royal North Shore Hospital St Leonards Sydney NSW Australia.