L/Cpl 52751 Frank Travis

• Age: 24
• From: Hollingworth, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Hooge Crater Cem, Zillebeke
  Panel Ref: IX.A.9

Frank Travis was born in the December quarter of 1892 at Hollingworth, Cheshire, and was the son of Thomas Travis and Mary Holmes (nee Hay). His parents married in Oldham in 1887.

On the 1901 census the family are living at 22 Market Street, Hollingworth, Cheshire. His father, Thomas, is aged 37, a cotton spinner, born in Hollinswood,Lancashire. His mother, Mary, is aged 34, born in Staveley, Derbyshire.  They have four children in the household; Mary B. 12 is a dressmaker born in Staveley, Herbert aged 10 was also born in Staveley, Frank aged 8 was born Hollingsworth, Cheshire, and Isabella aged 6 was also born Hollingsworth, Cheshire. They have a visitor Jessie Bradbury aged 8 born in Glossop.

The 1911 Census shows the family are living at 27 West End Street Oldham. His father Thomas is now aged 47, born 1864 is a cotton spinning operative, whilst his mother, Mary is aged 45, born 1866 has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty three years and have had eight children. Those listed in the household are;, Herbert aged 20, born 1891 a packer born in Staveley, Frank aged 18, born 1893 is a roller turner in a cotton mill, Isabella aged 16, born 1895 is a ring piecer, Clara aged 9, born 1902, Edith aged 8, born 1903, Annie aged 7, born 1904, James aged 1, born 1910. Also living at the address was their married daughter Mary Ellen Hay aged 22, born 1889 occupation reeling, her husband George Wilfred aged 30, born 1880 a pattern maker engineer and daughter Lily born 1911.

He enlisted in Oldham and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance Corporal No 52751 when he was killed in action on the 04th August, 1917, aged 24,  during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

Frank was one of those casualties referred to in the diary. He was buried close to where he fell, but following the war when graves were concentrated he was reburied and now rests at Hooge Crater Cemetery, Zillebeke, Belgium.

Hooge Chateau and its stables were the scene of very fierce fighting throughout the First World War. On 31 October 1914, the staff of the 1st and 2nd Divisions were wiped out when the chateau was shelled; from 24 May to 3 June 1915, the chateau was defended against German attacks and in July 1915, the crater was made by a mine sprung by the 3rd Division. On 30 July, the Germans took the chateau, and on 9 August, it and the crater were regained by the 6th Division. The Germans retook Hooge on 6 June 1916 and on 31 July 1917, the 8th Division advanced 1.6 Kms beyond it. It was lost for the last time in April 1918, but regained by the 9th (Scottish) and 29th Divisions on 28 September.

Hooge Crater Cemetery was begun by the 7th Division Burial Officer early in October 1917. It contained originally 76 graves, in Rows A to D of Plot I, but was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of Zillebeke, Zantvoorde and Gheluvelt and the following smaller cemeteries.

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