Officers of the 2nd Battalion with two Egyptian guides in front of the Sphinx during a visit to the Pyramids. 2nd Lieutenant Solling is seated on the donkey on the right. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial.
Eric Martin ‘Dick’ Solling was an optician who lived in West Maitland. He enlisted in August 1914 and was a Lieutenant who went to Egypt as part of the first expeditionary force.
Eric was the youngest of 11 children. His mother, Jane, was the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs William West of Balmoral, Canobolas, and Eric and his wife often travelled to Orange to visit his parents.
Eric enlisted in August 1914 and embarked from Sydney in October the same year. He was killed during the landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915. He was 21.
The Leader reported his death on 6 May 1915, however erroneously claimed the following day that he had merely been wounded. Eric left behind his wife Veronica and a three-week old infant.
Eric’s brother, Reginald, and sister Wilhelmena, a nurse, also served during WWI.
