Before his election to the Queensland state parliament in 1917 as the Member for Rockhampton, Francis Michael Forde was a schoolteacher and an electrical engineer. He became the federal Member for Capricornia in 1922 and held this seat for the Australian Labor Party (ALP) until 1946.

Forde was appointed as an honorary minister in the Labor government of James Scullin (1929-31), assisting the Minister for Trade and Customs, until February 1931 when he was appointed to that portfolio.

In 1932 he was elected Deputy Leader of the ALP, a position he held until 1946. In this role he served as Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 1932 to 1941, and then Deputy Prime Minister until 1946.

When John Curtin became Prime Minister in October 1941, Forde was appointed Minister for the Army -a critical portfolio with Japan's entry into World War II. Between 1941 and 1946, Forde acted as Prime Minister on several occasions in Curtin's absence. He became Prime Minister from 6 to 13 July 1945, following the death of John Curtin.

Forde contested the ALP leadership, but was defeated by Ben Chifley who became Prime Minister on 13 July.

Forde remained as Deputy Prime Minister to Chifley and Minister for the Army until November 1946. He also served as Minister for Defence between August and November 1946.

Frank Forde lost his seat in parliament in the 1946 general election and was later appointed as the Australian High Commissioner to Canada.

He later served a single term in the Queensland state parliament during the 1950s.