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JOHN CURTIN DIES
CANBERRA, Thurs— John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia,
died peacefully in his sleep this morning. He was 60.
Death of the plain Australian who had led Australia through
her darkest years to the dawn of victory was announced by Acting
Prime Minister Forde. "The life of the Prime Minister came to an
end peacefully and without pain in his sleep at 4 a.m. today," Mr
Forde said.
Apart from the nurse who
was on duty at the Lodge,
Mrs. Curtin was the last per-
son to see Mr. Curtin alive.
Shortly before midnight
she had a cup of tea with
him. With a smile, he then
said to her: "Go on, Mrs
Curtin: it's best that you go
off to bed now."
Mrs Curtin went to bed in an
adjoining room but did not sleep.
She was with the Prime Minister
when the last moments came but
he died without waking.
In the early hours before dawn Mr
Curtin's medical adviser was Sum-
moned to the Lodge by the nurse.
But Mr Curtin was dead.
Sergt, John Curtin, the Prime Min-
ister's only son, was at the Lodge. Mr
Curtin's only daughter Elsie (Mrs J.
Cole), who is in Perth, was informed
by telephone early this morning.
Mrs. Cole was to have left Perth for
Canberra by a Service plane early
today but, when the news came of
her father's death, the flight was can-
celled.
Originally Mrs. Cole was to have
left by tomorrow's mail plane but
news from Canberra yesterday caused
plans for the earlier departure.
Says Goodnight
Few people were allowed to see the
Prime Minister over the closing days.
Mr Ray Tracey, who has been
chauffeur to every Prime Minister
since the last war and who was Mr.
Curtin's invariable billiards opponent
when the Prime Minister was living
alone at the lodge, was one of the
last when he went to the Prime Min-
ister's bedroom to say goodnight.
How are you Ray?" Mr. Curtin
asked. Then he added: "I've had a
tough day today."
Mr Curtin then smiled, bade Tracey
goodnight.
Governor-General the Duke of
Gloucester, who is visiting operatio-
nal areas, will return to Canberra im-
mediately.
News was also flashed to General
MacArthur, who had become a firm
friend of Mr Curtin.
Efforts are being made by the Gov-
ernment to inform External Affairs
Minister Dr Evatt, who was scheduled
to leave San Francisco by ship on
Tuesday.
Mr Curtin is the second Aus-
tralian Prime Minister to die in
office.
First was Mr J. A. Lyons, who died
In April, 1939.
Shock
Though bulletins this week on Mr
Curtin's health had been ominous,
the dramatic radio announcements
this morning of his death left
listeners shocked and bewildered
with a sudden sense of personal loss
and tragedy.
Newspaper offices were besieged
with telephone calls to confirm
the news and throughout the
city conversation was only on
one topic—the passing of the
man who was the friend of all
Australians.
After the first radio announcement
at 6 a.m., all commercial broadcast-
ing stations suspended advertising
for two hours and played appropriate
music with tributes to Mr Curtin.
Serious illness first overtook Mr.
Curtin in November last year, when
he had a heart attack brought about
by the strain and responsibility of
wartime leadership.
He went into Mercy Hospital, Mel-
bourne, where he stayed ten weeks.
Early this year, less than three
months after his heart attack, Mr
Curtin resumed his official duties
at Canberra and attended the
opening of Parliament on Feb-
ruary 21.
Appearing to be well on the road
to recovery, Mr Curtin attended prac-
tically every sitting of Parliament
until near the end of April, when he
had a relapse and was admitted to a
private hospital in Canberra on April
24 suffering from congestion of the
lungs.
He left hospital on May 22 and was
at the Prime Minister's Lodge until
his death.
Left School At 14
Mr. Curtin was slightly under six
feet in height, with thinning greying
hair.
Although he finished schooling at
14, intense study up to 30 left him
with an astigmatism of the left eye.
Mr. Curtin's first job was as
"printers devil" at 14 on papers pro-
duced by the famous Lindsays of
Greswick.
Since he entered public af-
fairs, Mr. Curtin travelled about
250,000 miles, but he made only
six plane journeys.
He covered Australia scores of
times and in 1924 visited Geneva and
South Africa and in 1944 went to
Britain, the United States and Can-
ada.
Royal Sympathy
The Duke and Duchess of Glouces-
ter have sent personal messages of
heartfelt sympathy to Mrs Curtin and
her family.
Messages read—
From the Duke: "I am deeply dis-
tressed to hear of your bereavement.
I feel it as a personal loss to myself
and a shattering blow to Australia
and the Empire. My sincerest and
heartfelt sympathy.
From the Duchess: "I send my
heartfelt sympathy to you and your
family in your great sorrow."
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