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1889 Sep 28.. Born Middlesex
1891 census at 20, Charlotte Street, Westoe, South Shields
1901 census at 104, North End Road, Fulham
1911 census His parents are at 15 Warwick Terrace Plumstead Common Plumstead, but he is not there.
1914 Oct 6. Lands in France
1915 Sep 14.Commissioned. as temp 2nd Lt. Second Corporal Robert William Friend of RE, into Bedfordshire Regt
1917 May 13. DCM awarded
1919 Jan/Mar Married Sarah J Cross in Durham (she must have been a widow)
1919 Jan 10. Lt. R. W. Friend, D.C.M., Bedf. R /to be temp. Capt. whilst empld. as Garr. Messing Officer.
1919 Jul 24. Bedf. R—Lt. R. W. Friend, D.C.M., retires, receiving a gratuity.
1920 Dec 20 Joined ADRIC with service no 1294. Posted to M Coy
1921 Feb 5 Promoted Section Leader
1922 Jan 19. discharged on demobilisation of ADRIC
1923 Apr 30 . Arrives in New York from UK. He is an engineer, next of kin Sarah Friend, 18 Victoria St , Willington (Crook, County Durham), his place of birth was South Shields. (this is address on MIC)
1924 Feb 24. His wife Sarah arrives in Canada
Lives in Winnapeg, Manitoba with wife & family
1966 His wife died
Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg, Manitoba August 23, 1980
1980 Aug 22. Capt. R. W. Friend D.C.M. Peacefully on Friday morning, August 22, 1980 at Concordia Hospital, Robert William Friend, aged 91 years, 11 months, of 1477 Rothesay st., North Kildonan.
Born in Middlesex, England on September 28, 1888. He enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1908, going to France, August 14, 1914. Mentioned twice in dispatches and granted the Distinguished Conduct Medal, Mr. Friend was later commissioned in the field by the late Governor General Lord Byng of Vimy.
In 1916, Mr. Friend was sent to Ireland for the Irish Rebellion.
At the end of the hostilities he resigned his commission and came to Canada in 1924 with his wife Sarah Jane Cross and his three children, Aileen, Arthur and Maisie. He was employed by the Vulcan Iron Works until his retirement. He was predeceased by a daughter Marjorie in 1928 and his wife in 1966. Left to mourn his passing are two sons, Arthur at home and Walter Basil and daughter-in-law Gloria of Toronto; two daughters, Aileen at home and Masie and son-in-law Steve Sokolowski of Arborg; four grandchildren, Charmainie Kosland of Calgary, Bobbie and Bonnie Friend and Sarah Friend of Toronto. He will be sadly missed by his much devoted family. He was a life member of the Imperial Veterans of Canada Branch 84. At the request of the deceased his body has been forwarded to the Dept. of Anatomy, University of Manitoba.
