Private

Soloman James Lane

Solomon James Lane was born on the 17^th of October 1895 in Pinkenba Queensland, to Mr James Hellier Lane and Mrs Elizabeth Ellen Lane (nee Williams) as the fifth of their 9 children. His older siblings (from eldest to youngest) were Sarah, Eliza, Henry and Violet (died in infancy). His younger siblings (from eldest to youngest) were Alfred, Harriett, Eli and Gladous (Gladys).  

Solomon James Lane was born on the 17^th of October 1895 in Pinkenba Queensland, to Mr James Hellier Lane and Mrs Elizabeth Ellen Lane (nee Williams) as the fifth of their 9 children. His older siblings (from eldest to youngest) were Sarah, Eliza, Henry and Violet (died in infancy). His younger siblings (from eldest to youngest) were Alfred, Harriett, Eli and Gladous (Gladys). By 1897 the family had settled in the Coomera area where James worked in the timber trade and later as a Teamster. Solomon attended Coomera Upper State School for one year in 1901. Prior to his enlistment in the AIF on the 5^th of June 1916, Solomon was working as a musterer near Longreach. Two of Solomon's brothers, Henry and Alfred, also enlisted on the same date. Henry enlisted in Longreach where he was working with Solomon as a musterer, while Alfred enlisted in Brisbane. Henry would be assigned to the 49^th Battalion while both Solomon and Alfred would be assigned to the 41^st Battalion.

The 41st Battalion was raised at Bell's Paddock Camp in Brisbane in February 1916 with recruits from Brisbane, northern Queensland and the Northern Rivers District of New South Wales. It formed part of the 11th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. 

Private Solomon James Lane arrived in England on HMAT Boonah (A36) with the 4th Reinforcementsfor the 41st Battalion on 10th January 1917. He was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital, Wiltshire, on 2nd February 1917. His condition was reported as serious with Capillary Bronchitis. He died on 11th February, 1917 from Broncho Pneumonia. 

Both of Solomon’s brothers survived the First World War and returned home to Australia, although both were Wounded in Action. Henry Lane was Wounded in Action on the 5^th of April 1918 during the Battle of Dernancourt (George Shirley and Frank Curtis on the Upper Coomera Cenotaph were killed during this battle). He suffered a bullet wound in his upper left arm, fracturing his humerus and resulting in his return to Australia. Alfred Lane was Wounded in Action on the 24^th of August 1918 on the Somme near the town of Etinehem-Mericourt as part of the Allies 100 Days Offensive, which bought an end to the First Word War. Alfred suffered a bullet wound to his right arm and spent the remainder of his war convalescing. Both brothers would later marry and Alfred would go on to father three children.

Durrington Cemetery, Wiltshire 

Photo @Michael N Beverley Painter

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