▁of ▁Australia . ▁F ad den ▁had ▁just ▁ 1 3 ▁party ▁supp or ters ▁in ▁a ▁Parliament ▁of ▁ 7 5 , ▁but ▁with ▁the ▁U AP ▁in ▁dis array , ▁he ▁assumed ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ship . ▁The ▁Co al ition ▁surv ived ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁two ▁independ ents ▁– ▁Alex ▁Wilson ▁and ▁Arthur ▁Col es . ▁ ▁F ad den ▁was ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁from ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁to ▁ 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁M enz ies ▁declared ▁loyal ty ▁to ▁F ad den ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁Minister ▁for ▁Def ence ▁Co - ord ination . ▁The ▁dest abil ising ▁Ear le ▁Page ▁was ▁des patch ed ▁to ▁England ▁as ▁" Special ▁En voy " ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁War ▁Cab inet . ▁ ▁Australia ▁marked ▁ 2 ▁years ▁of ▁war ▁on ▁ 7 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁with ▁a ▁day ▁of ▁prayer , ▁on ▁which ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁F ad den ▁broadcast ▁to ▁the ▁nation ▁an ▁ex h ort ation ▁to ▁be ▁un ited ▁in ▁the ▁‘ sup reme ▁task ▁of ▁defe ating ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁evil ▁in ▁the ▁world ". ▁With ▁the ▁Pacific ▁on ▁the ▁br ink ▁of ▁war , ▁O pp osition ▁leader ▁John ▁Curt in ▁offered ▁friendship ▁and ▁co - operation ▁to ▁F ad den , ▁but ▁refused ▁to ▁join ▁in ▁an ▁all - party ▁w art ime ▁national ▁government . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁political ▁historian ▁Brian ▁Car roll , ▁F ad den ▁" did ▁no ▁better ▁than ▁M enz