▁upon ▁for ▁draft s ▁for ▁their ▁ 1 st ▁Line ▁batt al ions . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁number ed ▁as ▁the ▁ 6 1 st ▁( 2 nd ▁South ▁Mid land ) ▁Division ▁and ▁the ▁brig ade ▁became ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 rd ▁( 2 nd ▁Gl ouc ester ▁and ▁Wor c ester ) ▁Brigade . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁and ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁the ▁units ▁of ▁ 6 1 st ▁( 2 nd ▁SM ) ▁Division ▁moved ▁to ▁Sal is bury ▁P lain ▁to ▁begin ▁final ▁training ▁for ▁over se as ▁service . ▁Here ▁they ▁were ▁issued ▁with ▁. 3 0 3 ▁SM LE ▁rif les ▁in ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁weapons , ▁and ▁four ▁Lewis ▁guns ▁per ▁batt alion ▁in ▁place ▁of ▁dummy ▁guns ▁and ▁ant ique ▁Maxim ▁guns . ▁Final ▁leave ▁was ▁granted ▁in ▁April ▁and ▁May ▁and ▁ent rain ment ▁for ▁the ▁emb ark ation ▁ports ▁began ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁May . ▁By ▁ 2 8 ▁May ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁concentr ating ▁in ▁France . ▁ ▁From elles ▁ ▁Un like ▁the ▁ 4 8 th ▁( SM ) ▁Division , ▁which ▁had ▁over ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁tren ch ▁service ▁before ▁undert aking ▁its ▁first ▁attack , ▁the ▁ 6 1 st ▁had ▁only ▁a ▁matter ▁of ▁weeks . ▁After ▁a ▁short ▁tour ▁of ▁duty ▁for ▁each ▁batt alion ▁in ▁the ▁front ▁line ▁near ▁Ne uve ▁Chap elle ▁they ▁were ▁thrown ▁into ▁the ▁Att ack ▁at ▁From elles