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Robert Menzies

The Right Honourable
Sir Robert Menzies
KT, AK, CH, FAA, FRS, QC
Portrait Menzies 1941.jpg
12th Prime Minister of Australia
In office
19 December 1949 – 26 January 1966
Monarch George VI
Elizabeth II
Governor-General Sir William McKell
Sir William Slim
Viscount Dunrossil
Viscount De L'Isle
Lord Casey
Deputy Arthur Fadden (1949-1958)
John McEwen (1958-1966)
Preceded by Ben Chifley
Succeeded by Harold Holt
In office
26 April 1939 – 29 August 1941
Monarch George VI
Governor-General Lord Gowrie
Deputy Earle Page (1939)
Archie Cameron 1939-1940
Arthur Fadden (1940-1941)
Preceded by Earle Page
Succeeded by Arthur Fadden
Leader of the Liberal Party
In office
31 August 1945 – 26 January 1966
Deputy Eric Harrison
Harold Holt
Preceded by Position Established
Succeeded by Harold Holt
Leader of the Opposition
In office
23 September 1943 – 19 December 1949
Prime Minister John Curtin
Frank Forde
Ben Chifley
Deputy Arthur Fadden
Preceded by Arthur Fadden
Succeeded by Ben Chifley
Leader of the United Australia Party
In office
23 September 1943 – 31 August 1945
Preceded by Billy Hughes
Succeeded by Position Abolished
In office
26 April 1939 – 29 August 1941
Preceded by Joseph Lyons
Succeeded by Billy Hughes
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Kooyong
In office
15 September 1934 – 16 February 1966
Preceded by John Latham
Succeeded by Andrew Peacock
Deputy Premier of Victoria
In office
19 May 1932 – 24 July 1934
Premier Sir Stanley Argyle
Preceded by Albert Dunstan
Succeeded by Wilfrid Kent Hughes
Attorney-General of Victoria
In office
19 May 1932 – 24 July 1934
Premier Sir Stanley Argyle
Preceded by Ian Macfarlan
Succeeded by Albert Bussau
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Nunawading
In office
30 November 1929 – 31 August 1934
Preceded by Edmund Greenwood
Succeeded by William Boyland
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for East Yarra Province
In office
2 June 1928 – 11 November 1929
Preceded by George Swinburne
Succeeded by Clifden Eager
Personal details
Born Robert Gordon Menzies
(1894-12-20)20 December 1894
Jeparit, Colony of Victoria, Australia
Died 15 May 1978(1978-05-15) (aged 83)
Malvern, Victoria, Australia
Resting place Melbourne General Cemetery
Political party Nationalist (1928–1931)
United Australia (1931–1945)
Liberal (1945–1966)
Spouse(s) Pattie Leckie (m. 1920; his d. 1978)
Children 3
Parents James Menzies
Education Wesley College
Alma mater University of Melbourne
Profession Lawyer
Religion Presbyterianism

Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, KT, AK, CH, PC, QC, FAA, FRS (20 December 1894 – 15 May 1978), was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1966. He is Australia's longest-serving prime minister, serving over 18 years in total.

Menzies studied law at the University of Melbourne and became one of Melbourne's leading lawyers. He was Deputy Premier of Victoria from 1932 to 1934, and then transferred to federal parliament, subsequently becoming Attorney-General and Minister for Industry in the government of Joseph Lyons. In April 1939, following Lyons' death, Menzies was elected leader of the United Australia Party (UAP) and sworn in as prime minister. He authorised Australia's entry into World War II in September 1939, and in 1941 spent four months in England to participate in meetings of Churchill's war cabinet. On his return to Australia in August 1941, Menzies found that he had lost the support of his party and consequently resigned as prime minister. He subsequently helped to create the new Liberal Party, and was elected its inaugural leader in August 1945.


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