▁at ▁Sch of ield s . ▁When ▁Sch of ield s ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁ ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chief ▁Staff ▁Officer ▁to ▁the ▁Captain ▁( A ir ) ▁Australia . ▁He ▁left ▁this ▁position ▁in ▁July ▁to ▁become ▁Director ▁of ▁Air ▁War fare ▁Organisation ▁and ▁Training ▁at ▁Navy ▁Office , ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Year . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Captain ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Fr ig ate ▁Squadron ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁, ▁prior ▁to ▁assuming ▁command ▁of ▁ ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁command ▁, ▁the ▁naval ▁air ▁station ▁at ▁Now ra , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁November ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Def ence ▁College , ▁London . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁year ▁in ▁London , ▁Smith ▁returned ▁to ▁Australia ▁to ▁take ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁car rier ▁ ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁After ▁eigh teen ▁months ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁flags hip , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁acting ▁rear ▁adm iral ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁The ▁rank ▁was ▁made ▁permanent ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁and ▁Smith ▁served ▁as ▁Second ▁Naval ▁Member ▁at ▁the ▁Navy ▁Office . ▁In ▁the ▁Queen ' s ▁B irth day ▁Hon ours ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁was