reluctantly caved to the political pressure to release the divisions, having been assured by General Lord Gort (commander of the BEF) that the troops would not be used as frontline combat formations. The 46th Division departed Southampton on 28 April and arrived at Cherbourg the following day. Each of the division's nine battalions were equipped with four mortars, 18 Bren light machine guns, 10 Boys anti-tank rifles and 12 trucks. This placed the division below its establishment of 108 two-inch mortars, 361 anti-tank rifles, and 810 trucks for transporting troops; but over the required establishment of 28 Bren guns. Battle of France On 10 May 1940, the Phoney War—the period of inactivity on the Western Front since the start of the conflict—ended as the German military invaded Belgium and the Netherlands. As a result, most of the BEF along with the best French armies and their strategic reserves moved forward to assist the Belgian and Dutch armies. While these forces attempted to stem the tide of the German advance, the main German assault pushed through the Ardennes Forest and crossed the River Meuse. This initiated the Battle of Sedan and threatened to split the Allied armies in two, separating those in Belgium from the rest of the French military along the Franco-German border. The 46th Division was ordered to concentrate on the Belgian border, to act as a reserve to the BEF. As the German threat developed, Gort created an ad hoc force known as Macforce. This force was to protect the BEF's right-rear flank and lines of communication, and prevent the Germans from crossing the River Scarpe. On 15 May, the 138th and the 139th Brigades boarded trains and moved east. The men expected to be assigned to rear-area duties, such as clearing supply lines of refugees. However, once they arrived the next day, they were assigned to Macforce, and ordered to take up defensive positions along the Scarpe. These positions were occupied on 20 May, and the river was found to be less than deep and not a defensible position. The 137th Brigade and the divisional headquarters arrived in the Seclin area, on the outskirts of Lille, on 20 May. There, the division took command of the 25th Infantry Brigade and other assets assigned by Gort, and were dubbed Polforce (after the town of St Pol where the units were waiting). These two brigades were assigned to defend