Richard Travis

Gallipoli

Upon arrival in the Middle East in December 1914, the New Zealanders undertook further training before taking part in the landing at Anzac Cove as part of the Gallipoli campaign on 25 April 1915.^[5] The Otago Mounted Rifles Regiment (including Travis' Southland Squadron) did not take part in the initial landing; instead they were sent as dismounted reinforcements the following month.^[3] Travis was not scheduled to proceed with rest of the Southland Mounted Rifles Squadron, presumably having been assigned to a rear detail or reserve party that was to remain in Egypt until called for later on. Nevertheless, exhibiting the same disregard for discipline that had gotten him in trouble earlier in his life, he stowed away upon the squadron's transport and joined them on the Gallipoli Peninsula.^[3][6]

Travis' unauthorised presence was soon discovered and disciplinary proceedings followed: he was returned to Egypt and received 14 days' confinement. Nevertheless, he was later able to return to Gallipoli to take part in the final month of the campaign before the Allied forces were evacuated in December 1915. While at Anzac Cove he established a reputation as a fine soldier who possessed the ability to move through "no man's land" unscathed.^[3][4]

Western Front

Following their evacuation from Gallipoli, the New Zealanders returned to Egypt^[7] while the War Office considered their future deployment.^[8] In March 1916, Travis was transferred to the infantry and was posted to the 8th (Southland) Company of the 2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Division.^[6] When the division transferred to the European theatre, he sailed with it to France, arriving there in April, to serve in the trenches along the Western Front.^[3] After the 2nd Battalion entered the line near Armentières,^[6] Travis began conducting scouting missions at night into "no man's land" to gather intelligence on German positions and help in mapping the front.^[3]

In September 1916 he received the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Commonwealth's second highest gallantry award, when he was involved in the fighting on the Somme, singlehandedly dealing with two German snipers that were firing upon a work party.^[9][10] After this the 2nd Battalion moved to Flanders to hold the line during winter.^[6] Further accolades followed and throughout 1917 he progressed through the ranks reaching the rank of sergeant whereupon he was given responsibility for a sniper and reconnaissance section consisting of men hand picked by himself,^[6] tasked with conducting reconnaissance of German lines and capturing prisoners to gain intelligence.^[3] In early 1918 he was awarded the Croix de Guerre from the Belgian government,^[11] and then later the Military Medal.^[12] As a leader he was said to have a casual approach towards things such as dress and military protocol, however, he was resourceful, had a well-developed understanding of enemy courses of action and had a penchant for detailed planning.^[3]

In July 1918, as part of the operations undertaken prior to the Allied Hundred Days Offensive, planned for August, the 2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment, was committed to operations around Rossignol Wood, to the north of Hébuterne, where a salient had developed in the German lines.^[4] Following the initial attacks, the Germans withdrew from their positions and Travis, with the reconnaissance section, set out to discover their new location. On 24 July the battalion was scheduled to launch its attack. Prior to stepping off, Travis crossed "no man's land" in daylight and destroyed a wire obstacle that threatened to block the path of the battalion's advance. Later, after the attack had been checked by heavy fire from a number of machine gun positions, seeing the danger, Travis approached two weapons pits alone and killed their occupants.^[4][13]

He was killed the following day in a German artillery barrage laid down in preparation for a counter-attack. Well known among the New Zealand Division for his exploits, his death affected its morale.^[14] On 26 July 1918, he was interred in a grave near the small village of Couin, which is now the site of the Couin New British Cemetery.^[1] For his deeds on 24 July he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) in September 1918.^[3] The VC, instituted in 1856, was the highest award for valour that could be bestowed on a soldier of the British Empire.^[15] The citation for his VC read:

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. During 'surprise' operations it was necessary to destroy an impassable wire block. Serjt. Travis, regardless of personal danger, volunteered for this duty. Before zero hour, in broad daylight and in close proximity to enemy posts he crawled out and successfully destroyed the block with bombs, thus enabling the attacking parties to pass through. A few minutes later a bombing party on the right of the attack was held up by two enemy machine guns, and the success of the whole operation was in danger. Perceiving this Serjt. Travis with great gallantry and utter disregard of danger, rushed the position, killed the crews and captured the guns. An enemy officer and three men immediately rushed at him from a bend in the trench and attempted to retake the guns. These four he killed single handed, thus allowing the bombing party on which much depended to advance. The success of the operation was almost entirely due to the heroic work of this gallant N.C.O. and the vigour with which he made and used opportunities for inflicting casualties on the enemy. He was killed 24 hours later when, in a most intense bombardment prior to an enemy counter-attack, he was going from post to post encouraging the men.

— The London Gazette, No. 30922, 24 September 1918.^[16]