Stanley Owen Friend

Service number: 4157

Rank: Sapper

Unit: 12th Field Company Engineers

Service: Australian Army

Date of death: 17 August 1916

Cemetery or memorial details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France

War Grave Register notes:

FRIEND, Spr. Stanley Owen, 4157. 12th Field Coy. Engineers. 17th Aug., 1916. Age 23. Son of Richard Owen Friend and Louisa Henrietta Friend of Coral House, Suwarrow Street, Spit Hill, Manly, New South Wales. Born at Epping, New South Wales.

Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

Sapper Friend was born at Epping, Sydney. He was a bricklayer and had served a 3-year apprenticeship with R C Wombey.

He enlisted on 27 March 1915, aged 21 and 7 months. His mother, Mrs Louise Friend lived at the stone house in Suwarrow Street, Manly, and later at Queenscliff Road.

Sapper Friend was hospitalised after being gassed at Gallipoli. He also had spells in hospital with tonsillitis, jaundice and trench foot in 1915.

In August 1916 he was sent to France. He was killed in action within a week of arrival, on 17 August 1916.