Frederick Dudley Travers

Frederick Dudley Travers
Born	15 February 1897 York, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army Royal Air Force
Years of service	c.1915–1954
Rank	Captain
Unit	Hertfordshire Yeomanry No. 47 Squadron RFC No. 17 Squadron RFC No. 150 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	World War I  • Macedonian Front
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross Croix de guerre (France)
Other work	Aviation pioneer in two continents; expert pilot of flying boats

Captain Frederick Dudley Travers DFC was an English World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories. His later life saw his continued service to his nation in both the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and in civil aviation. He pioneered air routes into Africa, the Middle East, and India. He also became proficient in piloting flying boats. He flew civilian aircraft into the war zones during World War II. By the end of his civil aviation career, he had flown over two million miles and logged 19,000 accident-free flying hours. Upon his retirement from the RAF, he had served for almost four decades.

Frederick Dudley Travers was born in York, England, on 15 February 1897.

Travers served initially in the Hertfordshire Yeomanry of the Territorial Force, rising to the rank of lance corporal. He graduated from Inns of Court Officers Training Corps and was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 1 January 1916. He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, and first served in No. 47 Squadron. He was promoted to lieutenant in the Yeomanry on 1 July 1917, while still serving in the RFC.

His first aerial victory came on 19 December 1917, flying a B.E.12 in No. 17 Squadron RFC on the Macedonian Front. He was then transferred to No. 150 Squadron RAF, to fly the S.E.5a. He gained two more victories in May 1918, and one in June. In September he gained five more victories while flying a Bristol M.1c.

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