 Burrell 's first appointment following the cessation of hostilities was as commander of the 10th Destroyer Flotilla . He was promoted captain in June 1946 , and became Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff ( DCNS ) that October . As DCNS , Burrell played a major role in establishing the Navy 's Fleet Air Arm and preparing for the introduction of carrier @-@ based aircraft . He was appointed an aide @-@ de @-@ camp to Governor @-@ General William McKell in July 1947 . From October 1948 to the end of 1949 , Burrell served as commanding officer of the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia , flagship of the RAN . Posted to Britain in 1950 , he attended the Imperial Defence College , London , and spent two years as Assistant Australian Defence Representative . He took command of the light aircraft carrier HMAS Vengeance on 2 December 1952 , less than three weeks after she was commissioned into the RAN after transfer from the Royal Navy . The ship began working up for deployment to the Korean War in June 1953 , but in the end her place was taken by the carrier HMAS Sydney . Vengeance was involved in a collision with HMAS Bataan near the Cocos Islands on 5 April 1954 , while acting as part of the escort for the Royal Yacht of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during their inaugural tour of Australia , but continued on duty . 
