 Promoted captain in 1946 , Burrell played a major role in the formation of the RAN 's Fleet Air Arm , before commanding the flagship HMAS Australia in 1948 – 49 . He captained the light aircraft carrier HMAS Vengeance in 1953 – 54 , and was twice Flag Officer of the Australian Fleet , in 1955 – 56 and 1958 . Burrell was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1955 and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1959 . As CNS , he began a major program of acquisitions for the Navy , including new helicopters , minesweepers , submarines and guided @-@ missile destroyers . He also acted to reverse a plan by the government of the day to dismantle the Fleet Air Arm . Knighted in 1960 , Burrell retired to his farm near Canberra in 1962 and published his memoirs , Mermaids Do Exist , in 1986 . He died two years later , aged eighty @-@ three . 
