▁awarded ▁a ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire . ▁ ▁Smith ' s ▁next ▁appointment ▁was ▁as ▁Four th ▁Naval ▁Member , ▁which ▁last ed ▁twelve ▁months . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Flag ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁H M ▁Australian ▁Fle et ▁prior ▁to ▁assuming ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁of ▁Naval ▁Staff . ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁vice ▁adm iral ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chief ▁of ▁Naval ▁Staff , ▁and ▁in ▁June ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁Comp an ion ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Bath . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Smith ▁was ▁kn ight ed ▁as ▁a ▁Knight ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chair man , ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff ▁Committee ▁and ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁adm iral , ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁Australian ▁to ▁achieve ▁that ▁rank . ▁In ▁mid ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁newly ▁established ▁Comp an ion ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Australia , ▁before ▁ret iring ▁in ▁November ; ▁just ▁short ▁of ▁forty - n ine ▁years ▁naval ▁service . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁Smith ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁his ▁ret irement , ▁serving ▁in ▁various ▁posts ▁such ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁A CT / Que an be yan ▁Division ▁of ▁B irth right , ▁an ▁Australia - wide ▁organisation ▁which ▁ass ists ▁single ▁parents ▁with ▁dependent ▁children , ▁and ▁as ▁patron ▁of ▁the ▁A