▁for ▁the ▁Australian ▁Def ence ▁Force . ▁ ▁Death ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Ly ons ▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁storm ▁clouds ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁gather ing ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁Joseph ▁Ly ons ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Australia ▁to ▁die ▁in ▁office . ▁D riv ing ▁from ▁Can ber ra ▁to ▁Sydney , ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Tas mania ▁for ▁E aster , ▁he ▁suffered ▁a ▁heart ▁attack , ▁dying ▁soon ▁after ▁in ▁hospital ▁in ▁Sydney , ▁on ▁Good ▁Friday . ▁ ▁The ▁U AP ' s ▁Deput y ▁leader , ▁Robert ▁M enz ies , ▁had ▁res igned ▁in ▁March , ▁cit ing ▁the ▁coal ition ' s ▁failure ▁to ▁implement ▁a ▁plan ▁for ▁national ▁ins urance ▁as ▁the ▁cause ▁for ▁his ▁res ignation . ▁In ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁a ▁U AP ▁deput y , ▁the ▁Governor - General , ▁Lord ▁G ow rie , ▁appointed ▁Country ▁Party ▁leader ▁Ear le ▁Page ▁as ▁his ▁temporary ▁replacement , ▁pending ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁Ly ons ' ▁successor ▁by ▁the ▁U AP . ▁ ▁The ▁U AP ▁selected ▁Robert ▁M enz ies ▁to ▁succeed ▁Ly ons ▁and ▁M enz ies ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁Page ▁refused ▁to ▁serve ▁under ▁M enz ies ▁and ▁the ▁U AP ▁entered ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁minor ity ▁government . ▁On ▁ 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3