TRAVERS, Reginald John Albert
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, Place of enlistment - Sydney, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Glen Innes, New South Wales, 21 April 1888 |
| Home Town: | Neutral Bay, North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Cooma Grammar School and Broken Hill Technical College |
| Occupation: | Draftsman |
| Died: | Illness, Pymble, New South Wales, 3 November 1972, aged 84 years |
| Cemetery: |
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW Ashes scattered in the Rose Garden |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Promoted Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Forces (New Guinea 1914), Captain, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Forces (New Guinea 1914), Second Lieutenant, Officer, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, Place of enlistment - Sydney, New South Wales | |
| 19 Aug 1914: | Embarked Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Forces (New Guinea 1914), Captain, 1st Infantry Battalion, Naval and Military Forces - Special Tropical Corps, HMAS Berrima left Sydney on 19 August 1914 carrying men of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, consisting of a battalion of 1,000 infantry and a small battalion of 500 RAN Reservists and time-expired Royal Navy personnel, for operations against the German New Guinea colonies. HMAS Berrima met the naval units of the expeditionary force off Rossel Island on 9 September 1914. Troops were landed at Herbertshöhe and Rabaul on 11 and 12 September 1914 respectively, and on the New Guinea mainland near Madang on 24 September 1914. The ship was retroactively awarded the battle honour "Rabaul 1914" in March 2010 to recognise these landings. Captain Travers returned to Sydney on HMAT Eastern on 17th January 1915. | |
| 7 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 4th Infantry Battalion, Place of enlistment - Sydney, New South Wales | |
| 16 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, 4th Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMAT 'A63' Karoola from Sydney on 16th June 1915. | |
| 15 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 17th Infantry Battalion | |
| 28 Aug 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Major, Officer, 17th Infantry Battalion, Wounded (Gun shot wounds to calf & thigh at Gallipoli, initially treated on the Hospital Ship Devanha before being transferred to England and admitted to 3rd General Hospital Wandsworth, London. | |
| 11 Jan 1916: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order | |
| 29 Nov 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 26th Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Travers was detached for duty with the 2nd Division Reinforcements (Depot Bussy) for the period 21st December 1916 to 28th January 1917. | |
| 29 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 26th Infantry Battalion, Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel as well as Commanding Officer of the 26th Infantry Battalion. | |
| 4 Jan 1917: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches | |
| 25 Sep 1917: |
Transferred
AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 26th Infantry Battalion, |
|
| 28 Dec 1917: |
Honoured
Mention in Dispatches, T/Lieut. Colonel Reginald John Albert TRAVERS 'For conspicuous good service and devotion to duty during operations on the SOMME, October 1916 to February 1917. As Battalion Commander in the advance towards BAPAUME in February, this Office handled his Battalion with ability and determination.' G.O.C. 2nd. Aust. Division. |
|
| 1 Jan 1918: |
Honoured
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order and bar, Lieut-Colonel Reginald John Albert TRAVERS, D.S.O. 'Lieut-Colonel TRAVERS did especially good work in the successful attack on WALT TRENCH on 2/3/17 and in the attack and capture of LAGNICOURT on 26.3.17 and the subsequent repelling of the enemy counter-attack. In both these cases his energetic and skillful handling of his Battalion was the main factor in the success of the operations. Lieut-Colonel TRAVERS has already been awarded the D.S.O. for meritorious service in New Guinea. Major-General Commanding Second Australian Division. |
|
| 1 Aug 1918: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, Officer, 26th Infantry Battalion, Embarked for return to Australia as Officer Commanding on HMAT 'A17' Malta from England on 1st August 1918, disembarking Sydney on 25th September 1918. | |
| 13 Oct 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, Officer, 26th Infantry Battalion |
Additional Information
Second Lieutenant Reginald John Albert Travers of the 1st Australian Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion was appointed to New South Wales area Number 31B for the region of Leichhardt with the rank of Lieutenant while holding Temporary Appointment as Area Officer.
Date and unit at appointment (Officers)
18 August 1914 Appointed a captain in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF).
Date and unit at appointment (Officers)
07 May 1915 Appointed to the AIF.
Date promoted
15 August 1915 Appointed major.
Date of recommendation honour or award
13 September 1916
Date promoted
29 November 1916 Appointed lieutenant colonel.
Other units
29 November 1916 Appointed to command the 26th Battalion.
Other units
21 December 1916 2nd Australian Divisional Reinforcements Depot, France.
Date of recommendation honour or award
1917
Other units
25 September 1917 2nd Australian Divisional Headquarters,
Date of recommendation honour or award
04 October 1917
Other units
12 October 1917 Rejoined 26th Battalion.
Other units
1918-03-12 - 1918-03-15 4th Army Musketry School, Belgium.
Date of recommendation honour or award
29 April 1918
Other
13 October 1918 AIF appointment terminated.
-----------
Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald John Albert Travers DSO & Bar
1st Naval and Military Expedition Force
4th Battalion AIF
17th Battalion AIF
26th Battalion AIF
Mentioned in Dispatches – 1st June, 1917
Mentioned in Dispatches – 2nd January, 1917
Mentioned in Dispatches – 28th December, 1917
Recommended for Distinguished Service Order
Awarded – Distinguished Service Order – 21st September, 1916
Recommended for Bar to Distinguished Service Order
Awarded Bar to Distinguished Service Order – 18th April, 1918
Personal information:
Lieutenant Colonel Reginald John Albert Travers served with the 4th, 17th and 26th Battalions in 1916 and at the 4th Army Musketry School, Belgium, 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, 21 Sept. 1916 and mentioned in dispatches, 1917. The daughter of William Holmes, Dorothy Mabel, married Reginald Travers on 13 Aug. 1914, reported in the Sydney morning herald 14 Aug. 1914
--------------
Timeline
Date of birth
21 April 1888
Date and unit at appointment (Officers)
18 August 1914 Appointed a captain in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF).
Date and unit at appointment (Officers)
07 May 1915 Appointed to the AIF.
Date of embarkation
16 June 1915
Date promoted
15 August 1915 Appointed major.
Date of recommendation honour or award
13 September 1916
Date promoted
29 November 1916 Appointed lieutenant colonel.
Other units
29 November 1916 Appointed to command the 26th Battalion.
Other units
21 December 1916 2nd Australian Divisional Reinforcements Depot, France.
Date of recommendation honour or award
1917
Other units
25 September 1917 2nd Australian Divisional Headquarters,
Date of recommendation honour or award
04 October 1917
Other units
12 October 1917 Rejoined 26th Battalion.
Other units
1918-03-12 - 1918-03-15 4th Army Musketry School, Belgium.
Date of recommendation honour or award
29 April 1918
Other
13 October 1918 AIF appointment terminated.
---------------
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141836915?searchTerm=%22reginald%20john%20albert%20travers%22 &searchLimits=
News has been received that Major John Reginald Albert' Travers was wounded in both legs and is now in England, This young officer — he is only 26 years of age — is a son of ex-Inspector of Mounted Police, J. M. Travers and Mrs Travers, now resident at Prince Albert Street, Mosman.
Born at Glenn Innes, he received his education at Cooma and Broken Hill. For some years prior to the war Major Travers was a topographer and draughtsman in the Defence Department. His wife is the only daughter of Brigadier General Holmes, resides at Binalong Road, Mosman.
As Lieutenant and area officer at Newtown, Major Travers went away under the then Colonel Holmes to Rabaul, wearing his third star. His last promotion was gained in Europe. He left Egypt for Gallipoli in charge of the 17 Battalion. Major Travers is a cousin of Mr S G Schubach, attached to the Wagga telegraph staff, two of whose brothers, as well as other near relatives, are also in the trenches.
Submitted 11 September 2018 by Elizabeth Allen
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Reginald John Albert TRAVERS was born on 21st April, 1888 at Glen Innes, NSW
His parents were James Michael TRAVERS and Christina Matilda SCHUBACH
He married Dorothy Mabel HOLMES on 13th August, 1914 at St Phillips, Church Hill, Sydney
He died on 3rd November, 1972 in Pymble, NSW and was cremated at Northern Suburbs Crematorium at North Ryde - ashes scattered in the Rose Garden
Two of his sons served in WW2
1. Captain William Holmes TRAVERS (SN NX57) discharged 1945
2. Basil Holmes TRAVERS (SN NX17) discharged 1949 - awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Medals & Awards:
-------------
see attached story section for further details of his service
DSO & Bar, MID, Gallipoli Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal
Click images to start slideshow.