Now demolished, the new battalion's drill hall was sited on The Grove in Hackney.

The battalion sailed from Plymouth for Gallipoli in late July 1915 with the rest of its brigade, stopping at Mudros en route and landing at Suvla Bay on 11 August 1915.

Although still technically a Beach Group it served as infantry in the Battle of Normandy, losing all but 16 officers and 136 other ranks by August 1944, when it was disbanded.

[6] In February 1945 5th Battalion was reformed and re-designated as a Bank Group and assisted 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division in its crossing of the Rhine in March 1945.

Throughout its existence, some sources state the battalion was nicknamed The Hackney Ghurkhas.