Commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (India), in India ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ' ...

Dacre Henry Deudraeth Smyth, (5 May 1923 – 3 December 2008) was a senior officer in the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (Australia), Chief of Navy (CN) Vice admiral (Australia), Vice Admiral Mark Hammond (admiral), Ma ...

(RAN), an artist and a poet. He joined the RAN in 1940, and participated in the D-Day landings and the

Battle of the Coral Sea The Battle of the Coral Sea, from 4 to 8 May 1942, was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and naval and air forces of the United States and Australia. Taking place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, the battle ...

before retiring as a commodore in 1978. He was the son of the distinguished British general

Nevill Maskelyne Smyth Major General Sir Nevill Maskelyne Smyth, (14 August 1868 – 21 July 1941) was a senior officer in the British Army and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British ...

. His mother was Evelyn Olwen (1884–1960), daughter of

Sir Osmond Williams, 1st Baronet Sir Arthur Osmond Wynn Williams JP DL (17 March 1849 – 28 January 1927) was a Welsh Liberal Party politician. He became Constable of Harlech Castle, and Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire. Early life He was born at Llanfihangel-y-Trae ...

(1849–1927) of

Castell Deudraeth Castell Deudraeth is a former manor house approximately 0.5 km NE of Portmeirion in Gwynedd, North Wales. History The name is taken from a former late 12th century castle, now lost. The current house, which possibly dates from the 18th cent ...

Penrhyndeudraeth Penrhyndeudraeth (; ) is a small town and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The town is close to the mouth of the River Dwyryd on the A487 nearly east of Porthmadog, and had a population of 2,150 at the 2011 census, increased from 2 ...

, Merioneth, Wales. and his wife Frances Evelyn (1855–1926), daughter of

John Whitehead Greaves John Whitehead Greaves (21 June 1807 – 12 February 1880) was an English businessman who was instrumental in developing the slate industry in Wales. Early life and family Born near St Albans, he was the third son of John Greaves (1774–1849), ...

.Festidepia: Frances Evelyn Greaves
/ref> He served as Deputy Chairman of the Trustees of Melbourne's

Shrine of Remembrance The Shrine of Remembrance (commonly referred to as The Shrine) is a war memorial in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road. It was built to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in ...

and was a Life Governor of the Shrine. He became well known after his retirement for landscape and seascape painting, publishing fourteen books containing his paintings and poems. He married Jennifer Haggard in 1952, and had four daughters and a son.

Works

1. Smyth, Dacre (1979) The bridges of the Yarra: A book of paintings, poetry and prose; with a foreword by Sir John Bloomfield. 2. Smyth, Dacre (1980) The lighthouses of Victoria: A second book of paintings, poetry and prose; with a foreword by Sam Benson. 3. Smyth, Dacre (1982) Historic ships of Australia: A third book of paintings, poetry, and prose; with a foreword by Admiral Lionel Lockwood. 4. Smyth, Dacre (1982) Old Riverboats of the Murray: A fourth book of paintings, poetry and prose. 5. Smyth, Dacre (1984) Views of Victoria in the steps of von Guérard: A fifth book of paintings, poetry and prose; with a foreword by Sir William Dargie. 6. Smyth, Dacre (1986) The Bridges of Kananook Creek: A sixth book of paintings, poetry and prose; with a foreword by Chester Nevett. 7. Smyth, Dacre (1988) Waterfalls of Victoria: A Seventh Book of Paintings, Poetry and Prose. 8. Smyth, Dacre (1990) Gallipoli Pilgrimage: An Eighth Book of Paintings, Poetry and Prose. 9. Smyth, Dacre (1992) Immigrant ships to Australia: A ninth book of paintings, poetry and prose; with a foreword by Marten A. Syme. 10. Smyth, Dacre (1994) Pictures in my life: an autobiography in oils: A tenth book of paintings, poetry, and prose. 11. Smyth, Dacre (1998) Images of Melbourne: (an A to Z of the Melbourne scene): An eleventh book of paintings, poetry and prose. 12. Smyth, Dacre (2001) Australia from the air: A twelfth book of paintings, poetry and prose 13. Smyth, Dacre (2003) Australia from the sea: A thirteenth book of paintings, poetry and prose. 14. Smyth, Dacre (2005) The Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia: A fourteenth book of paintings, poetry and prose.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smyth, Dacre 1923 births 2008 deaths 20th-century Australian painters Australian military personnel of the Korean War Australian military personnel of the Vietnam War English emigrants to Australia Recipients of the Legion of Honour Officers of the Order of Australia British emigrants to Australia Royal Australian Navy officers Royal Australian Navy personnel of World War II Military personnel from London