Ben Chifley - Death

Death

A few weeks later, Chifley suffered a heart attack in his room at the Kurrajong Hotel in Canberra (he had lived there throughout his political career, having refused to reside at The Lodge whilst being Prime Minister).

Chifley at first made light of the sudden heart attack and attempted to dissuade his secretary and confidante, Phyllis Donnelly, who was making him a cup of tea, from calling a doctor. As his condition deteriorated, however, Donnelly called Dr. John Holt, who ordered Chifley's immediate removal to hospital. Chifley died in an ambulance on the way to the Canberra Community Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 10:45 p.m. Prime Minister Menzies heard of Chifley's demise while attending a parliamentary ball at King's Hall in Parliament House (Chifley was invited but declined to attend). Menzies was deeply distressed and abandoned his normally impassive demeanour to announce in a halting subdued voice:

It is my very sorrowful duty during this celebration tonight to tell you that Mr. Chifley has died. I don't want to try to talk, about him now because although we were political opponents, he was a friend of mine and yours, and a fine Australian. You will all agree that in the circumstances the festivities should end. It doesn't matter about party politics on an occasion such as this. Oddly enough, in Parliament we get on very well. We sometimes find we have the warmest friendships among people whose politics are not ours. Mr Chifley served this country magnificently for years.