isation ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁and ▁was ▁complete ▁by ▁ 3 1 ▁March . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁war ▁ 4 8 ▁officers ▁and ▁ 3 3 3 ▁other ▁ranks ▁of ▁the ▁batt alion ▁had ▁died ▁on ▁active ▁service . ▁▁ 2 / 4 th ▁( City ▁of ▁Br istol ) ▁Battalion ▁The ▁ 2 nd ▁Line ▁batt alion ▁was ▁raised ▁on ▁ 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁and ▁took ▁its ▁place ▁in ▁ 2 / 1 st ▁Gl ouc ester ▁and ▁Wor c ester ▁Brigade ▁in ▁ 2 nd ▁South ▁Mid land ▁Division . ▁At ▁first ▁the ▁men ▁lived ▁at ▁home , ▁and ▁little ▁or ▁nothing ▁was ▁available ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁uniform s , ▁arms ▁or ▁equipment . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁the ▁division ▁concentr ated ▁at ▁North am pton ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁that ▁the ▁men ▁were ▁issued ▁with ▁. 2 5 6 - in ▁Japanese ▁Ar iska ▁rif les ▁with ▁which ▁to ▁train . ▁Here ▁they ▁formed ▁part ▁of ▁First ▁Army ▁of ▁Central ▁Force , ▁but ▁when ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁South ▁Mid land ▁Division ▁went ▁to ▁France , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁took ▁its ▁place ▁at ▁Ch el ms ford ▁and ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁Third ▁Army ▁of ▁Central ▁Force , ▁with ▁a ▁definite ▁role ▁in ▁Home ▁Def ence . ▁The ▁batt al ions ▁formed ▁their ▁machine ▁gun ▁sections ▁while ▁at ▁Ch el ms ford , ▁but ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁the ▁batt al ions ▁fl uct u ated ▁widely ▁as ▁they ▁were ▁drawn