▁ 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁entra ined ▁at ▁Water lo o ▁for ▁South am pton , ▁there ▁to ▁emb ark ▁on ▁H M ▁Transport ▁Gal ician ▁bound ▁for ▁Mal ta . ▁Four ▁officers ▁and ▁a ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁N CO s ▁and ▁men ▁ruled ▁med ically ▁un fit ▁for ▁over se as ▁service ▁were ▁left ▁at ▁Ho xt on ▁to ▁begin ▁rec ruit ing ▁a ▁reserve ▁batt alion . ▁Short ly ▁afterwards ▁this ▁was ▁designated ▁the ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁Lond ons , ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁parent ▁unit ▁became ▁the ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁Battalion . ▁Later ▁the ▁ 3 / 4 th ▁and ▁ 4 / 4 th ▁Batt al ions ▁were ▁also ▁raised ▁( see ▁below ). ▁▁ 1 / 4 th ▁Battalion ▁ ▁Mal ta ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁The ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁London ▁B de ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁T F ▁units ▁to ▁go ▁on ▁service ▁over se as . ▁The ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁dis emb ark ed ▁in ▁Mal ta ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁September ▁and ▁began ▁coast al ▁defence ▁and ▁guard ▁duties ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁training ▁the ▁ 2 5 0 ▁rec ruits ▁in ▁its ▁ranks . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁the ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁B n ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁B n ▁( le aving ▁its ▁ob sole te ▁rif les ▁and ▁equipment ▁for ▁the ▁new com ers ) ▁and ▁emb ark