The Fighting Travers
The contribution of one remarkable family to Britain's armed forces from Napoleonic times to the present day
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'The Fighting Travers' was a description once used to denote a branch of the Anglo-Irish family of Travers that was notable for producing an unusual number of Army and Navy Officers during the Napoleonic Wars and for several generations afterwards. They were the children or descendants of John Travers, a Cork alderman who had been Mayor of the city in 1774, and his wife Mehitabel (née Colthurst). However, the term 'Fighting Travers' can be interpreted more widely to include any of their numerous cousins who distinguished themselves in the many conflicts that took place between the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War and, indeed, right up to the present day.
This site welcomes anyone with an interest in the Fighting Travers and especially those with a story to share, be it in the form of a family anecdote or letter, an article, or a longer piece devoted to the life or lives of any of the members of this remarkable family. Just send your edited and proof-read document to me at the contact address below and I'll put it up on the site.
As this is my first foray into internet publishing, there will initially be a fair amount of tinkering on the site, but please bear with me. I am kicking things off by posting my biography of Captain Nicholas Travers of the 95th Regiment (see below). Nick was my third great grandfather and, along with his five brothers, one of the original Fighting Travers.
Paul Strickland (April 2025)
Updates
18 June 2025: a well-researched piece by Jeff Travers on Capt Robert William Travers (1818-49) has been added to the site (see below).
31 August 2025: my book on Nicholas Travers is now also accessible in FamilySearch's Digital Library: https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/books/ and then search for "Nicholas Travers".
23 September: this site has been mentioned in the Autumn 2025 edition of the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research as a 'Journal Intelligence Note'. The Who Do You Think You Are ? magazine has also published a letter from me informing their readers of this site in its October 2025 edition.
26 September: although it is overdue, I would like to acknowledge here the contribution of Adam Paylor at 95thrifles.com (the 'Battlefield Re-enactment and Living History Society'), who gave this site a lot of initial publicity on their social media.
Captain Nicholas Travers (1818)
Captain Nicholas Travers (1818)
This portrait of Nick in full rig is a copy of the one which hangs in the Kincaid Gallery of The Rifleman's Museum in Winchester, and was painted in 1818 by Robert Lucius West, RHA. Nick was then aged thirty.
Duke of Wellington (1815)
Duke of Wellington (1815)
The Duke was C-in-C of the British forces during the Peninsula War (1807-1814) and commanded the allied forces at Waterloo. He was also Nick's fifth cousin. This portrait is by Sir Thomas Lawrence and hangs in Apsley House, London.
'A Soldier's Life', a biography of Captain Nicholas Travers (1787-1871) by Paul Strickland
'A Soldier's Life', a biography of Captain Nicholas Travers (1787-1871) by Paul Strickland
A Soldier's Life - Capt Nicholas Travers of the 95th.pdfNick was unusual in that he had been an officer in the Navy before becoming one in the Army (with the famous 95th Regiment - 'the Rifles'). He fought in the Peninsula and in North and South America, and was several times wounded. In later life, he was a Barrack Master in England and also overseas.
'A Soldier's Life' is 200 pages long, including many maps and illustrations and several appendices. The appendices include short biographies of Nick's five brothers, all of whom served in the Army or the Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and a detailed timeline.
'A Soldier's Life' is 200 pages long, including many maps and illustrations and several appendices. The appendices include short biographies of Nick's five brothers, all of whom served in the Army or the Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and a detailed timeline.
CAPT. ROBERT WILLIAM TRAVERS
CAPT. ROBERT WILLIAM TRAVERS
This miniature portrait presents Capt. Travers in uniform of the 24th Regt of Foot which he joined in 1835, then was posted to Lower Canada during the 1837-38 rebellions. Robert died in the battle of Chillianwallah in 1849, engaging the Sikh army.
Robert William Travers of 24th Foot and Chillianwallah.pdfRobert William Travers (1818-1849), report by Jeff Travers
Robert William Travers (1818-1849), report by Jeff Travers
updated June 2025
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