▁London ▁Brigade ▁at ▁Ma id stone . ▁Here ▁it ▁was ▁ordered ▁at ▁short ▁notice ▁to ▁emb ark ▁at ▁South am pton ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁December ▁ab o ard ▁H MT ▁Av on ▁bound ▁for ▁Mal ta ▁to ▁rel ieve ▁the ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁B n . ▁The ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁dis emb ark ed ▁on ▁ 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁while ▁the ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁( see ▁above ). ▁ ▁Mal ta ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁While ▁on ▁Mal ta ▁the ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁B n ▁continued ▁training , ▁guard ed ▁Pr ison ers ▁of ▁war ▁( Po W s ) ▁and ▁performed ▁public ▁duties . ▁It ▁was ▁still ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁draft - find ing ▁unit ▁for ▁ 1 / 4 th ▁B n , ▁and ▁in ▁July ▁was ▁under ▁orders ▁to ▁send ▁a ▁draft ▁of ▁ 4 0 0 ▁men ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁( to ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁ 4 0 0 ▁men ▁from ▁the ▁ 4 / 4 th ▁B n ▁at ▁home ). ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁instead ▁ordered ▁to ▁Egypt ▁as ▁a ▁Service ▁Battalion , ▁emb ark ing ▁on ▁H MT ▁South lands ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁August ▁and ▁dis emb ark ing ▁at ▁Alexand ria ▁four ▁days ▁later . ▁On ▁ 9 ▁October ▁the ▁batt alion ▁re - emb ark ed ▁on ▁H MT ▁Kar ro o ▁for ▁M ud ros , ▁where ▁it ▁trans hi pped ▁to