Francis Michael Forde: autographed letter, signed F.M. Forde in ink, and dated April 1971, from his home in Brisbane to a correspondent in Canada, where Forde had served for 6½ years as high Commissioner for Australia. Forde was the 15th Prime Minister of Australia - serving for just over a week, from 6 to 13 July 1945. He held office after the death of John Curtin, and is the shortest serving prime minister in Australia's history.