▁divisions ▁were ▁created ▁from ▁the ▁rec ruits ▁who ▁were ▁flo oding ▁in . ▁Later ▁they ▁were ▁mobil ised ▁for ▁over se as ▁service ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁right ▁and ▁a ▁ 3 rd ▁Line ▁created . ▁▁ 1 / 4 th ▁( City ▁of ▁Br istol ) ▁Battalion ▁The ▁South ▁Mid land ▁Division ▁under w ent ▁progress ive ▁training ▁in ▁Es sex , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁received ▁orders ▁to ▁emb ark ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁British ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force ▁( BE F ) ▁in ▁France . ▁The ▁Gl ouc ester ▁and ▁Wor c ester ▁Brigade ▁crossed ▁from ▁Fol k estone ▁to ▁Bou log ne , ▁and ▁by ▁ 3 ▁April ▁the ▁whole ▁division ▁had ▁concentr ated ▁near ▁Cass el . ▁After ▁final ▁training ▁the ▁batt alion ▁went ▁into ▁the ▁line ▁near ▁P lo eg ste ert ▁(' Pl ug street '). ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁designated ▁ 4 8 th ▁( S outh ▁Mid land ) ▁Division ▁and ▁the ▁brig ade ▁became ▁ 1 4 4 th ▁( G lou c ester ▁and ▁Wor c ester ) ▁Brigade . ▁ ▁Som me ▁The ▁batt alion ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁tren ches ▁for ▁ 1 6 ▁months ▁before ▁it ▁participated ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁major ▁battle , ▁during ▁the ▁Som me ▁off ensive . ▁On ▁the ▁First ▁day ▁on ▁the ▁Som me ▁( 1 ▁July ) ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁in ▁reserve ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the