Frank Forde

Frank Forde was Prime Minister for only eight days, 6–13 July 1945, after the death of John Curtin. With unswerving loyalty to his party and its leadership, Forde was a federal parliamentarian for 24 years. For 14 years he was deputy leader of the federal parliamentary Labor Party, and for nine of those years was deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Forde was Minister for Trade and Customs in 1931, during the government of James Scullin, and Minister for the Army from 1941 to 1946, during the governments of John Curtin and Ben Chifley. He lost his seat in the 1946 election.

After leaving federal politics, Forde served as Australian High Commissioner in Ottawa, Canada until 1954. He then returned to Queensland State politics.

Frank Forde died on 28 January 1983 at the age of 92, the longest-lived of Australia’s Prime Ministers.