Major J.R. Frend
2nd Bn., Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
Heavy hostile shelling of TEMPLEUX QUARRIES commenced about 11:30am until 12:30pm. Extremely accurate. Lt. Col. Murphy, DSO, MC [and others] were in HQ mess attending to wounded when a shell dropped right in their midst killing the CO … Shelling was kept up at intervals of 50 minutes throughout the day & night. Major J.R. Frend assumed command of Bn. at 1 pm.
(2nd Bn. Leinster Regiment War Diary, 6 Nov 1917)
Following the death of Lieutenant-Colonel A.D. Murphy, Major John Roberts Frend took command of the 2nd Leinsters. He was born on 7 February 1883 in Cloghjordan, Tipperary. He served in the Boer War and joined the Leinster Regiment before emigrating to Australia in 1909. On the outbreak of the Great War, he rejoined his old regiment and served with the 2nd Leinsters in France.
On 12 January 1918, Lieutenant-Colonel H.W. Weldon, formerly of the 1st Leinsters, arrived to take over the battalion and Frend reverted to second-in-command. Over the coming months, however, he filled in when Weldon was sick or away on brigade duty. By the end of the war, Frend received the Distinguished Service Order and Bar. On demobilization in June 1919, he returned to his property in Australia.
He died on 10 February 1931 in Darlinghurst, New South Wales.
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World War Graphic History 
Dear Matthew
I came across your very nice website on the internet and discovered it had a close family connections. Firstly I was on the internet looking up Major JR Frend (known to his friends as ‘Jack’) because he is mentioned in some letters I have from WW1 and it took me to your website The Frend’s piece connected to Lt Col AD Murphy who I see is also on your site and gives details of Murphys death. The reason I say all this is because the letters I have, belonged to my late grandmother who had a romantic relationship with Lt Col Murphy. In the last few months before Murphy was killed my granny was introduced to Jack Frend by Alfred Murphy when he was over in the UK on leave.
Thank you Matthew for giving me a little more detail to a family story and for taking the time to mention these two men. In writing to my granny after Murphys death, Jack said that Alfred was the closest friend he had ever had. Kind of poignant.
John
Thank you John for sharing your connection to Frend and Murphy, and for the kind words about my site!