SOLLING, Reginald
| Service Number: | 7251 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 May 1915, Liverpool |
| Last Rank: | Staff Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Stockton, New South Wales, Australia, 17 December 1890 |
| Home Town: | West Maitland, Maitland, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Maitland High School, Maitland, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk - later Stipendiary Magistrate |
| Died: | Natural causes, The Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, England, 5 January 1961, aged 70 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Maitland High School Roll of Honour, West Maitland Superior Public School Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 19 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 7251, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , Liverpool | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Gunner, 5th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement Gunner, 7251, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked Gunner, 7251, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Persic, Sydney | |
| 29 Feb 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 5th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 16 Jun 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 5th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 1 Sep 1919: | Transferred AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, Australian Graves Service | |
| 12 Dec 1919: | Transferred AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 5th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 9 Jan 1920: | Embarked AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 7251, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , HT Megantic, England for return to Australia with wife - disembarked Sydney 27 February 1920 | |
| 27 May 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 7251, 5th Field Artillery Brigade |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Reginald Solling was the second youngest of eleven children of Johan Solling and Jane West. His father was a teacher and the family resided at various locations in the lower Hunter Valley.
He was educated at Maitland High School and after a brief stint at teaching joined the Premier's Department as a junior clerk. In 1911 Reginald moved to the Justice Department - a move that would determine his future career.
Three of the eleven children of the Solling family were to serve during the Great War. Youngest child, Eric Martin (Dick) Solling enlisted immediately after the declaration of war but was killed during the landing at Gallipoli. The oldest sister Wilhemina Jane, served as a Nursing Sister with the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve being was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Royal Red Cross. Reginald Solling enlisted on 19 May 1915, immediately after confirmation of the death of his brother Eric had been received by the family.
He served with the 5th Field Artillery Brigade, initially as a Gunner before rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant. In the last few months of the war he was attached to the Australian Section, 3rd Echelon, General Headquarters. Following the ceasation of hostilities he served with the Australian War Graves Service.
In October 1919, he married Phyllis Archer of Hook Norton in Oxfordshire at St Marys Church of England in nearby Banbury. The couple returned to Australia in early 1920 and Reginald resumed his career with the NSW Justice Department.
After serving as the Clerk of Petty Sessions at numerous centres across New South Wales, he was appointed as a Stipendiary Magistrate in 1936 - a position he would hold for a further 18 years until his retirement.
Shortly after retirement he moved with his wife back to her home village of Hook Norton in England. Sadly their retirement together in England was short - Reginald Solling SM died at Oxford in 1961. His wife Phyllis passed way in 1975.
Reference: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248944773
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