In April 1945 , Forde left Australia to attend the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco . Late that month , Curtin was admitted to hospital ; in the absence of Forde and H. V. Evatt ( the Minister for External Affairs ) , he designated Ben Chifley as acting prime minister . Forde did not return to Australia until 2 July , but then immediately took over from Chifley . The prime minister 's health had severely declined in the meantime , although he had been able to go home to The Lodge . Curtin died in his sleep in the early hours of 5 July , at the age of 60
United Nations Conference on International Organization
United Nations Conference on International Organization
Frank Forde