Victor Smith Admiral Sir Victor Alfred Trumper Smith ( 9 May 1913 – 10 July 1998 ) was a senior officer within the Royal Australian Navy , eventually becoming the first Australian to achieve the rank of admiral and serving as Chairman , Chiefs of Staff Committee ; the professional head of the Australian Military . Early life . Smith was born in Chatswood , New South Wales on 3 May 1913 , to George and Una Smith , and was named after his uncle , Victor Trumper , a distinguished Australian cricketer . He was educated at Chatswood Public School , where he participated in such sports as swimming , tennis and rugby and was also a member of the Chatswood Wolf Cub Pack . Early career . After deciding to embark on a naval career , Smith entered the Royal Australian Naval College as a Cadet Midshipman in January 1927 . He attended the college for three - and - a - half years before receiving a further six months of training at Flinders Naval Depot . In January 1931 , Smith was then posted to , and in May was promoted to Midshipman . In July the following year , he was posted to for service with the Mediterranean Fleet . Promoted to acting sub lieutenant , Smith was sent to England where he assumed a number of courses until October 1934 , when he returned to HMAS " Canberra " . He served with the ship until March 1936 , when he was promoted to lieutenant and posted to . After deciding to specialise in naval aviation , Smith proceeded to England to attend a Naval Observers Course in March 1937 . Upon graduation , he was posted to No . 825 Squadron aboard in the Mediterranean . He remained on the ship until August 1939 , when he left for England to attend a Meteorological Course . However , due to the outbreak of war , the course was abandoned and Smith was appointed to the new carrier . Second World War . In 1940 , Smith took part in operations off Norway with " Ark Royal " , before receiving a posting to No . 821 Squadron based at RNAS Hatston . On 21 June , he led six Swordfish biplanes in carrying out the first ever torpedo attack by aircraft on a capital ship at sea . The raid was conducted against the German battleship off the Norwegian coast while subject to heavy anti - aircraft fire . The " Scharnhorst " obtained no hits by the torpedoes , and all six aircraft managed to return safely to land . For his actions during the attack , Smith received a Mention in Despatches . In August , Smith was sent to join No . 807 Fighter Squadron aboard . The ship was used to protect convoys in the Western Approaches against the German Condor aircraft . In February 1941 , the squadron joined , and was tasked with the protection of shipping off the African coast . In April , the squadron joined " Ark Royal " , where Smith served on until the ship was sunk off Gibraltar on 30 November by . During this time , Smith had been shot down twice , each time managing to be picked up by a destroyer . In the New Years Honours of 1942 , Smith was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for " out - standing zeal , patience and cheerfulness and for setting an example of wholeheartedness devotion to duty " . After the sinking of the " Ark Royal " , Smith returned to Australia where he was appointed as liaison officer to the United States Navy heavy cruiser . He served in this position until May , when he was appointed to HMAS " Canberra " as the observer for aircraft . Smith served aboard the cruiser until it was sunk in the Battle of Savo Island during the Guadalcanal landings on 9 August 1942 . Returning to Australia once more , he was appointed to the Amphibious Training School , HMAS " Assault " , for a short period prior to being appointed to stand by . Promoted to acting lieutenant commander in March 1943 , in July Smith was appointed Air Staff Officer to , an American built escort carrier which was operating in the Battle of the Atlantic and escorting Russian convoys . During this time , the aircraft aboard " Tracker " managed to assist in the sinking of two German U - boats and shoot down six German long - range planes . Promoted to lieutenant commander in 1944 , Smith was posted as the Air Planning Officer on the staff of the Flag Officer , British Assault Area for the Normandy invasion . He was next appointed Air Planning Officer on the staff of the Vice Admiral ( Q ) , British Pacific Fleet , retaining this position until 1 October 1945 . Fleet Air Arm . The Naval Board now decided to send Smith to the Admiralty in London , in order to obtain information that would assist in the planning and formation of a Fleet Air Arm in the Royal Australian Navy . He returned to Australia in January 1947 , as a member of the Australian Naval Aviation Planning Staff . Government approval for the formation of the Fleet Air Arm was given in July , and Smith was promoted to commander in December . The Fleet Air Arm was officially established on 28 August 1948 , in which Smith has become widely known as the " Father of the Fleet Air Arm . " Later career . Smith was appointed Executive Officer of in January 1950 , and served on the ship during its six - month tour of duty in the Korean War between August 1951 , and February 1952 . During this time , the Fleet Air Arm was conducting operations over Korea from " Sydney " ; the first time it was in action . In April 1952 , Smith was appointed to command the Advance Party at the former Royal Australian Air Force Air Station at Schofields . When Schofields was commissioned as in April 1953 , Smith was appointed Chief Staff Officer to the Captain ( Air ) Australia . He left this position in July to become Director of Air Warfare Organisation and Training at Navy Office , Melbourne and was promoed to captain in the New Year . In June 1955 , he was appointed Captain of the 1st Frigate Squadron in command of , prior to assuming command of the following year . In January 1957 , Smith was appointed to command , the naval air station at Nowra , New South Wales . He served in this position until November 1959 , when he was selected to attend the Imperial Defence College , London . After a year in London , Smith returned to Australia to take command of the carrier in January 1961 . After eighteen months in command of the flagship , he was promoted to acting rear admiral in 1962 . The rank was made permanent in 1963 , and Smith served as Second Naval Member at the Navy Office . In the Queen ' s Birthday Honours of the same year , he was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire . Smith ' s next appointment was as Fourth Naval Member , which lasted twelve months . In February 1966 , he was appointed as Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet prior to assuming the office of Deputy Chief of Naval Staff . Promoted to vice admiral in April 1968 , Smith was appointed Chief of Naval Staff , and in June was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath . The following year , Smith was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire . In November 1970 , Smith was appointed Chairman , Chiefs of Staff Committee and promoted to the rank of admiral , becoming the first Australian to achieve that rank . In mid 1975 he was awarded the ( then ) newly established Companion of the Order of Australia ( AC ) , before retiring in November ; just short of forty - nine years naval service . Later life . Smith was active in his retirement , serving in various posts such as President of the ACT / Queanbeyan Division of Birthright , an Australia - wide organisation which assists single parents with dependent children , and as patron of the ACT Rugby League . Smith died on 10 July 1998 , at the age of 85 .