Family lived at Onehunga, Auckland. Attended Onehunga School and became Colour-Sergent of the Onehunga School Cadets.
- 1905: Won the Public School Cadets District Prize
Medal and the Challenge Shield Prize.
- 1908: Selected to represent New Zealand as one of
"Lord Roberts Boys" in the Shooting Competitions for
Cadets of the British Empire to shoot for the Lord
Roberts Trophy, the Lady Gwendoline Guiness Trophy
and the Meath Trophy at Bisley, United Kingdom. Won
2nd place in Cheylesmore and Guiness Competitions and
presented with rifle by Lord Roberts.
- World War I: Served as a Rifleman (No 26595) in the
3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade (13 platoon D Company) - Died 15 November 1917 of wounds received at
Passchendale - buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery
- 2 memorials set up:
# Drinking fountain at Onehunga School
# W.R. Friar Memorial Prize for School Cadets
- Related material: Rifle given to W.R. Friar by Lord
Roberts deposited at Auckland Institute & Museum in
1940
- Gordon Family Collection at Waikato Art Museum
relating to John Gordon (Manager Woodlands Estate
1890s) and his son W.A. Gordon who married Gladys
Friar, sister of W.R. Friar
- Accessession references: 1979/17, 1979/68, 1979/74,
1982/10 and Historic Photographs Collection (refer
Gordon - portraits etc.)