Brave Solomons Mission

Nurse Decorated

A MEMBER of the Methodist Mission nursing service in the Solomons. Sis ter Merle Farland, who refused to leave her post during the Japanese occupation, has been created a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Sister Farland joined the Methodist Mission in the Solomon Islands as a nurs ing sister in 1938. When the evacuation of Europeans from the group was organ ised about March, 1942, she refused to leave, and remained in sole charge of the mission’s medical activities in the area where she was stationed. She spent 18 months in the Group, nursing in a num ber of hospitals, mainly on Vella, Lavella and New Georgia, and for nine months was the only nurse remaining in New Georgia.

Located by United States forces, Sister Farland was evacuated by them to Guadalcanal, where she spent three months before returning to New Zealand.

While with the Americans, she gave a number of lectures to their men and nurses.

Later. Sister Farland was one of six nurses who went to the Solomons with the New Zealand forces, and she is now an Army nursing sister in New Caledonia.