[1] Travers came from a distinguished Anglo-Irish military family, and all seven of his brothers (three of whom were killed in India) served in the armed forces.

They were the sons of Major-General Sir Robert Travers KCMG, CB (1770–1834) of the 95th Rifle Brigade, who was one of six brothers who themselves all served in the military, and one of three to be knighted for their services, including Rear-Admiral Sir Eaton Stannard Travers, who engaged in battle upwards of one hundred times, and was mentioned in dispatches eight times for gallantry.

[4] Travers was appointed adjutant to the Bhopal contingent in March 1843 and promoted to captain and brevet major in January 1846, to reflect his earlier Afghan service.

He then took part in the First Anglo-Sikh War, where on 10 February 1846 he commanded a Gurkha battalion at the battle of Sobraon, for which he was mentioned in despatches.

[3] Travers was a 36 years old Colonel in the 2nd Bengal Native Infantry, Bengal Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed led to his award of the Victoria Cross:[5] For a daring act of bravery, in July, 1857, when the Indore Presidency was suddenly attacked by Holkar's Troops, in having charged the guns with only five men to support him, and driven the Gunners from the guns, thereby creating a favourable diversion, which saved the lives of many persons, fugitives to the Residency.

Her brother was General Donald Macintyre VC, while her elder sister married Doctor William Brydon, the sole survivor of the 1842 retreat from Kabul.