Rex Aubrey Fritz SOLLING
Born 1888 in Moree, New South Wales, Australia [15]
Son of Fritz Peter SOLLING and "Queenie" Emma Maria KING [15] [444: 12-May-1883]
Overseer of Alice Downs Station in Blackall, Queensland, Australia in 1913 [50]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 20 October 1914 in Blackall, Queensland, Australia [30: item 8088581]
On enlistment was recorded as 6 feet ¼ inches tall, weighing 176 lbs., with grey eyes, light brown hair and a fair complexion [30]
Gave his next of kin as his mother, whose address during the war was Eri Eriwah Station in Moree, New South Wales [30]
After brief training at Enoggera he was appointed on 8 December 1914 to the A Squadron of the 5th Light Horse Regiment [30]
Embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia for active service abroad on Transport A34 Persic on 21 December 1914 [94]
Lieutenant 292 in the Australian Imperial Force's 5th Light Horse Regiment during the First World War [30]
During the war served at Gallipoli in Turkey; Mudros in Greece; Malta; and at Moascar, Port Said and Abbassia in Egypt [30]
His rank was initially Trooper, however he was promoted to Acting Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant and then Lieutenant [30]
He was hospitalised a number of times - for gunshot wounds to his arm and chest, a fractured thumb, and due to illness [30]
Returned to Australia on the Hospital Transport Madras, which arrived in Sydney, New South Wales on 3 August 1919 [30]
Awarded the Military Medal, and received the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]
Discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 2 October 1919 [30]
Station Hand in Yandarlo, Queensland, Australia in 1925 [50]
Farmer, Grazier and Freehold Owner of Bibilya Farm in Irwin, Western Australia 1927-1933 [6] [19] [61]
Best man at the wedding of Reginald M. DIAMOND of Carnamah and "Tottie" Lillian M. ROWLAND of Irwin in 1927 [P276]
Served as a Member on the Irwin District Road Board for at least the years 1929-1932 [4: 15-Mar-1930, 12-Mar-1932] [86: 15-Jun-1929]
Farmer and Grazier of Ikewah Farm in Yandanooka [50]
Farmer of Coopooloo Farm in Winchester 1935-1961 [3] [19]
He had purchased John W. COLPITTS' 1,640 acre Heppleholme Farm in Winchester on 29 May 1935 [3]
He appears to have changed the name of the farm from Heppleholme to Coopooloo Farm [19]
The farm's 1,640 acres consisted of Lots M914, M915 and M1045 of Victoria Location 1936 [3]
COLPITTS had originally taken the land up as a Ready-Made Farm from the Midland Railway Company in 1913 [34]
Member of the Carnamah Rifle Club in 1935 [5: 11-Oct-1935]
Competed in his first shoot of the Carnamah Rifle Club over the 200 yard range on Sunday 25 August 1935 [5: 30-Aug-1935]
It was the first time he'd fired since his discharge from the A.I.F. in 1919, and he achieved a "credible score" of 40 [5]
Member of the Carnamah Sub-Branch of the Returned Soldiers League [52]
On 11 September 1935 sold 43 suckers (20 at 14/4, 22 at 10/10, 1 at 16/- per head) and 47 shorn ewes (42 at 14/1, 5 at 11/4) [5]
A week later sold 78 shorn wethers - 38 at 13/10 per head and the remaining 40 at 11/7 per head [5: 13 & 20-Sep-1935]
Attended the Fourth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner held in Three Springs on Saturday 19 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Sold six bales of wool at 16d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Wool Sale in Perth on 28 October 1935 [5: 1-Nov-1935]
On 12 December 1935 reported at the Carnamah Police Station that a case of hardware and ironmongery had been stolen [88]
The case had been left for him at the Railway Siding in Winchester however was not there when he went to collect it [88]
Const. Alan O. FIEBIG travelled to Winchester the next day and found the case in a broken state 200 yards from the Siding [88]
Nothing was missing from the case, believed to have "been broken open, apparently by tramps in search of food and clothing" [88]
Attended the Farewell Social for George & Ester MULLIGAN at Marathon Farm in Winchester on Thursday 25 June 1936 [5: 3-Jul-1936]
In July 1936 purchased a new International half-ton utility of sedan car comfort combined with genuine truck construction [5: 24-Jul-1936]
Sold 127 sheep through Elder Smith & Co Ltd in two consignments to the Midland Market in September 1936 [5: 18-Sep-1936, 2-Oct-1936]
They consisted of 46 suckers (21 at 18/1, 15 at 12/-, 10 shorn at 8/10) and 81 sheep and lambs (14 at 15/1, 33 at 8/7, 34 at 8/1) [5]
Attended the Fifth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner in Dongara on Saturday evening 24 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Sold five head of cattle through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Midland Market on Wednesday 11 November 1936 [5]
The five head of cattle consisted of one cow at £8/2/6, one cow at £6/-/-, and two steers at £5/2/6 [5: 13-Nov-1936]
Sold eight bales of wool at 17½d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co Ltd at the Perth Wool Sale of 23 November 1936 [5: 27-Nov-1936]
In June 1937 he reported "Lost" in The North Midland Times an untrained sheep bitch between Winchester and Carnamah [5: 18-Jun-1937]
A month later, in July 1937, he advertised a reward for a red sheep dog lost between Winchester and Carnamah [5: 16-Jul-1937]
Sold 14 wethers (9 at 23/7, 5 at 20/10) and 15 ewes at 20/- per head through Elder Smith & Co Ltd on 11 August 1937 [5: 13-Aug-1937]
Offered a reward in September 1937 for the spare wheel of his International utility lost between Winchester and Mingenew [5: 17-Sep-1937]
Member of the Winchester and Billeroo grasshopper eradication committee in 1937[0: image 02876]
Became a member of the Carnamah Masonic Lodge No.150 WAC on 15 October 1937 [96]
Motored to Perth on Tuesday 23 February 1937 [5: 26-Feb-1937]
He was accompanied by Mrs Barbara K. PLUNKETT and children and Dr Cecil P. ROSENTHAL of Carnamah [5]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Mrs Eileen Elizabeth WITHNELL on 5 January 1938 at the Winchester Cemetery [0]
Fire Control Chief of the Winchester Fire Control Committee in 1939 [0: image 03880]
Leader of the R.S.L. Volunteer Defence Corps in Carnamah in 1940 [85]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1940, 1946 and 1955-1957 [13]
Foundation President of the Carnamah Miniature Rifle Club in 1940/41 - President again in 1942 [85] [0: image 02956]
Committee Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1939-1941 and 1950-1957 [13] [58]
Steward of the Wool section at the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Show on 11 September 1941 [13]
Committee Member of the Carnamah District War and Patriotic Fund in 1941 [0: image 04014]
Commanding Officer of the Carnamah Home Guard in 1942 [0: image 04073]
Vice President 1941-1942, President 1949-1951 and 1955-1960 of the Carnamah Sub-Branch of the Returned Soldiers League [52]
In 1948 resided on Dirk Hartog Island however by 1949 was again resident in Winchester [3]
Obtained the telephone in 1950 - was telephone number Winchester-8 [60]
Committee Member of Carnamah's branch of the Farmers Union in 1951 [0: image 04608]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Mrs Ada Rose HAIG on 27 September 1955 at the Winchester Cemetery [4]
Served on the Board of the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs 1957-1962 [109]
In 1961 was the owner of a Vanguard station sedan car with licence plate CA-957[22]
Resided on and farmed his Coopooloo Farm in Winchester until his death in 1961 [P22]
Died 11 October 1961 [2]
From The Commonwealth Gazette, No. 109, 15 September 1919:
R. A. F. Solling, Military Medal. "At AMAN on 30th March, 1918, a Squadron advanced to the attack and came under very heavy machine gun fire from front and right flank, temporarily holding up the advance. This N.C.O. went forward under very heavy fire, selecting positions for the Hotchkiss rifles, the best means of advance, enabling the Squadron to move forward 400 yards and saving many casualties. This N.C.O. has at all times displayed the greatest gallantry and devotion to duty, and has always set a fine example to all ranks."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Rex Aubrey Fritz Solling' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/rex-aubrey-fritz-solling [reference list] |
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