On 30 August the biography of Admiral Sir Victor Smith, universally recognised as the ‘Father of Fleet Arm’, was launched at the Australian Fleet Arm Museum by the former FAA pilot and later Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin (pictured). The audience of about 160 people included ‘VAT’ Smith’s two sons Mark and Piers, as well as many former FAA personnel.
In launching Graeme Lunn’s the biography, Admiral VAT Smith: The extraordinary life of the father of Australia’s Fleet Air Arm, Air Chief Marshal Binskin said VAT Smith’s career contained a number of ‘firsts’ which included:
- He led led the first mass aircraft torpedo strike against a capital ship at sea,
- He led the first catapult enabled flight for convoy protection in the Battle of the Atlantic,
- He drafted the first plan for the RAN’s post-World War II Fleet Air Arm,
- He was the first RAN aircrew officer to command the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne,
- He was the first Royal Australian Naval College graduate to make 4 Star,
- He was the first officer to serve five years as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, and,
- He was the first and possibly will be the only naval officer to serve nearly 49 years in permanent service.
The book review of Admiral VAT Smith is at https://navalinstitute.com.au/admiral-vat-smith-extraordinary-life/
Also at the event the Commander Fleet Air Arm, Commodore Matthew Royals announced that the Fleet Air Arm Officers Leadership Prize would be named in Admiral Sir Victor Smith’s honour.
