 Complete the following phrase:  On 24 February 1965, McNicoll was promoted vice admiral and made Chief of Naval Staff CNS in succession to Vice Admiral Sir Hastings Harrington. By virtue of this position, McNicoll was head of the Naval Board and the functional commander of the RAN. McNicolls term as CNS was characterised by a period of heightened activity for the RAN in light of the Australian commitments to the 