Ernest Travis

War Service

Ernest enlisted in the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and served with the 9th Battalion, which were part of the 64th Brigade of the 21st Division. His brother William was also part of the same Brigade, serving with the 10th Battalion.
His service records have not survived and so the details of his service throughout 1916,1917 and 1918 are not known. It is likely he served along with his brother for the time he was in France.
By the closing months of 1918 the 9th K.O.Y.L.I. were part of the 21st Division following the German retreat. In November they were in the area around Mauberg, very much in the area fought over in the early actions of the British Expeditionary Force in autumn 1914.
The Armistice was celebrated in the little village of Limont-Fontain, just south of Mauberg. Perhaps Ernest was there to celebrate his survival.
Many soldiers suffered the illnesses sweeping through Northern Europe in 1918. Ernest was admitted to hospital on 17th November and died three days later of pneumonia. It is probable the hospital was one of the many on the northeast coast of France, south of Boulogne.
He is buried in Terclinthun British Cemetery, Wimille.
His mother Sarah Jane had an inscription added to his headstone:
“OF KNOTTINGLEY YORKS”.
Could this be the only such inscription in the whole of France?

Family Life

Ernest Travis was born in 1890 in Knottingley, the eldest son of Thomas and Sarah Jane Travis. He had a younger brother William and four sisters Sarah, Agnes, Annie and Violet. He also had a half sister Elizabeth and a half brother Tom, both older than him.
He lived with his parents and siblings in the Low Green area of Knottingley and worked as a labourer at the Aire & Calder Navigation, as did his father.

Ernest Travis's grave

Close up of his gravestone