Dacre Smyth

Dacre Smyth was born in London the son of Victoria Cross recipient Sir Nevill Maskelyne Smyth (1868-1941). The Smyth's emigrated to Australia in 1925, settling near Balmoral in Victoria. He had an idyllic early life growing up on the family farm; each morning he rode a horse to a tiny, 10-pupil state school. Then it was off to Geelong Grammar as a border.

Smyth enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in September 1940. His first posting was as Midshipman in HMAS Australia. His war service saw him at the Battle of the Coral Sea, bombarding Sword Beach during the D-Day landings in France, and he was present at the bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945.

Smyth was aboard HMAS Bataan during the Korean War and commanded HMAS Supply during the Vietnam War. He spent a year as Aide-de-Camp to Governor-General William McKell and three years as Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Painting was a keen hobby during his time in the RAN and when he retired in 1978 he became well-known as an author and artist.

More than 2800 of his paintings sold to eager buyers, and he self-published 14 books illustrated with his paintings and verse. His books all had themes, such as The Bridges of the Yarra, The Lighhouses of Victoria, Historic Ships of Australia and the autobiographical Pictures in My Life.

He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1997 and the French Legion of Honour in 2000.

Dacre Smyth died at his home in Toorak on 3 December 2008.