▁of ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Def ence ▁Force — from ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁following ▁an ▁earlier ▁term ▁as ▁Chief ▁of ▁Naval ▁Staff ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Smith ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ch ats wood , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁on ▁ 3 ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 3 , ▁to ▁George ▁and ▁Una ▁Smith , ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁his ▁uncle , ▁Victor ▁Tr um per , ▁a ▁distinguished ▁Australian ▁cr ick eter . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Ch ats wood ▁Public ▁School , ▁where ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁such ▁sports ▁as ▁sw imming , ▁tennis ▁and ▁rugby ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Ch ats wood ▁Wolf ▁Cub ▁Pack . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁After ▁dec iding ▁to ▁emb ark ▁on ▁a ▁naval ▁career , ▁Smith ▁entered ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Naval ▁College ▁as ▁a ▁cad et ▁mid ship man ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁college ▁for ▁three - and - a - half ▁years ▁before ▁receiving ▁a ▁further ▁six ▁months ▁of ▁training ▁at ▁Fl ind ers ▁Naval ▁Dep ot . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁Smith ▁was ▁then ▁posted ▁to ▁, ▁and ▁in ▁May ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁mid ship man . ▁In ▁July ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁ ▁for ▁service ▁with ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Fle et . ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁acting ▁sub - lie utenant