Connection to the Hunter Valley – Sister Minna Solling was born in Orange.  Her family moved to the Hunter sometime during the 1880s as four younger siblings were born at various places in the lower Hunter.  Minna is named on Wallalong Memorial, Maitland District Memorial and the honour roll of West Maitland Public School.  Her brother Eric “Dick” Solling was killed at Gallipoli.

Detail of Wallalong Memorial showing members of the Solling family that served in WW1. Sister Solling’s brother Eric “Dick” Solling was killed at Gallipoli.
Photo: A John Bramble 2010

Training and experience – Sister Solling was a highly experienced nurse by the time she enlisted – she had trained at Sydney Hospital 1903-1907 and subsequently worked at Berrima District Hospital,  Perth Public Hospital,  Bowral Public Hospital and as Matron at Crown Street Hospital.  She was also an Examiner for the Australian Trained Nurses Assocation.

Service – Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve (QAIMNSR)

Service location – Egypt, transport duty, France, UK and Germany (the Army of the Rhine)

Medals, awards and mentions – 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and Mentioned in Despatches.

References:

National Archives of Australia AWM12 5234/1/3 & B2455 SOLLING ERIC MARTIN

National Archives of the UK WO/372/23, WO/372/24 (medal cards), WO/399/7796 (service record)

Sydney Morning Herald, 9 January 1909, p.11, retrieved from Trove 1 September 2011; 24 June 1915 p.8, 16 June 1916, p.8, 17 June 1916, p.8  & 27 February 1919, p.8, retrieved from Trove 5 August 2010

Sydney Mail, 21 June 1916, p.27

Maitland Mercury, 28 August 1915, p.4

Australasian Nurses’ Journal, Vol XIII No 1 January 1915, p.11, No 5 May 1915, p.146, Vol XVI No 3 March 1916, p.87, No 10 October 1916, p.339, Vol XVII No 1 January 1917, pp.10-11

Ann Campbell,  Maitland’s Great War – WW1 extracts from the Maitland Weekly Mercury and Maitland Mercury, Maitland NSW, Maitland Family History Circle, 2002, p.170

Do you know more?

© Christine Bramble 2013