Francis Ernest Travis
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Francis Ernest Travis was one of two children born to George and Elizabeth Travis. He was born in 1888 in Worksop his other sibling being a sister, Annie Elizabeth Travis who had been born in Worksop in 1876. George Travis spent his life as a painter and decorator, living in Newgate Street in 1891. In 1894 Annie Elizabeth married John Thomas Reeder in Sheffield but came back to live in Worksop as in 1901 they were living at 3 Bridge Terrace, next door to her parents and brother. In 1902, George Travis died at the age of 56 and in 1911, Frances was living with his sister Annie and her family, who had now moved to number 2 Bridge Terrace. He was working as his father did, as a painter and decorator. Later in the year of 1911, Francis married Ada H Edmunds.
Pte. Frank Travis Worksop Guardian 9 March 1917 It is with regret that this week we have to record the death, from wounds sustained in action in France, of a promising and respected young man in Worksop, in Pte. Francis Ernest Travis of the 10th East Yorkshires and of 34 King Street. News reached his wife by wire from the Regimental depot at York on February 28th, that her husband had been dangerously wounded, and that he was in No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station in France. Later news of his death came in a letter from a nursing sister, who wrote Mrs Travis to the effect that her husband had been admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station on February 27th very badly wounded in the right thigh, the bone being broken and also in the right forearm and that he died on the morning of February 28th at 7 o’clock. Everything, the writer said, had been done for him, but he only rallied for a short time. He was quite conscious and ‘sent his love to you and the little girl, and said, I want to tell you not to worry too much.’ I hope, (continues the sister), it will be a little comfort to you to know that he was in here and well cared for, that his last hours were peaceful and that he will be buried in our Cemetery by our Chaplain. Please accept my sympathy – J G Eveleigh, sister in charge. Following this was a letter dated March 1st from the Lieut. Attached to his Company who wrote:- “Dear Mrs Travis, it is with the sincerest sympathy that write to you to tell you that Frank has been called upon to make the greatest sacrifice he could and lay down his life for his country and for us all. On the 26th February, this Battalion was ordered to take four lines of German trenches and Frank’s Company lead the attack on the fourth. It was while we were advancing up a trench towards the enemy that Frank was hit by a shell and received the wounds from which he died. He was very brave and did not complain of the pain, which I hope was able to lessen by giving him some morphia. Our own stretcher bearers bound up his wounds and after four hours of work got him back up the trench, and so to hospital. And now I hear that on the 28th, not so many hours after he was admitted, he passed away and just been buried in the English Cemetery at Varennes. Two of his friends were hit by the same shell and the news was bought to me “Sir. We have lost our three best men.” And from what we know of him, always cheerful, always willing for the extra bit of work to come along. I can form some sort of idea of what you have lost. But I hope you will not think a splendid young life was wasted, for if he had lived to be a hundred, he could never have used it to a better purpose, and the good his sacrifice has done will last forever. The other officers and men join with me in the warmest sympathy for you and in respect for a much loved comrade – yours sincerely, Bernard V Rice, Lieut.” On the same morning that the news of his being wounded arrived, Mrs Travis received a field postcard dated February 23rd, saying he was quite well, and she had two letters from him on February 27th, the day he was wounded. Pte Travis who had been 23 in May, was the son of the late Mr Geo. Travis, painter, of Park Street, Worksop, and after school life, followed his father’s occupation, being for many years with the late Mr B Ekin and afterwards with the late MrJoseph Spence, his successor. Upon the death of the latter, Pte Travis went to work for Mr B Penny who speaks of his ability and energy as a workman in very high terms. His mother was a daughter of the late Mr Robert Storey, senr,. Of Park Street and he has one sister, Mrs Reeder of Victoria Road. After his father’s death, he resided with his mother in Bridge Terrace, and about five years ago, he married Miss Edmunds of Grafton Street, Worksop and they have one bonny little girl of two and a half years of age. Previous to the war, Pte Travis was an enthusiastic member of the Worksop Ambulance Division and was in the bugle band. Immediately on the outbreak of war, he joined what was then known as the Civil Corps being one of the first to join, and he went into camp with them at Blyth. He attested under the Derby scheme and his group was called up on May 30th 1916, and he went into training. Following two short periods of leave he was drafted to France on September 17th 1916, and saw much of the fighting on the Somme, before he made the great sacrifice. Pte Travis was a genial companion, a conscientious workman, and a man who had many friends, having spent all his life in the town. Everybody seemed to have a good word for him, and his untimely death is very much deplored and the utmost sympathy is extended to his bereaved young widow, who all her married life has resided with her husband at 34 King Street.
Buried at Varennes Military Cemetery, France. Research by Colin Dannatt
