Beckett 2008 says that TA units that were in suspended animation were formally reactivated on 1 January 1947, although no personnel were assigned until commanding officers and permanent staff had been appointed in March and April 1947.

After a brief period at their drill halls, the various units proceeded to large tented camps at Turton Bottoms (near Bolton), Chesham (near Bury) and Holingworth Lake, Littleborough (near Rochdale).

The personnel were asked to volunteer for overseas service, and the overwhelming majority did so, the deficiencies made up of men from the National Reserve and other re-enlistments.

The 'home service' men formed the cadre of duplicate units, intended to train the rush of volunteers at the drill halls.

Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, described these divisions and regiments of mainly white–collar workers as "a town clerk's army".

[9] The East Lancashire Division arrived in Egypt on 25 September 1914 and served in the interior, around Cairo (with some elements stationed in Cyprus and the Sudan) together with some Yeomanry units, and the Australian and New Zealand contingents before going to Gallipoli.

The 15 pounder gun batteries were deployed at key points on the west bank in support of Indian Army and New Zealand troops manning guardposts.

[11] The 19th Battery (Bolton Artillery) was in action in support of Indian and New Zealand troops between Tussum and Serapeum on the night and morning of 3–4 February 1915, against the attempted crossing of the canal by the 74th Regiment, Turkish 25th Division.

Captain William Thomas Forshaw of the 1/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in this battle from 7 to 9 August.

[17] 2nd Lieutenant Alfred Victor Smith of the 1/5th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his action at Helles on 23 December.

3 Section of the Suez Canal Defences under General Lawrence until they were entrained for the railhead at Pelusium on the first day of the Battle of Romani on 4 August 1916.

They had not been trained to operate in heavy sand in mid summer heat, and with insufficient water, extreme distress and tragedy followed.

The mounted troops alone, were unable to stop the enemy making a disciplined withdrawal to water at Katia and to fall back in good order, the following day.

[29][30][31][32] The 127th Brigade, 42nd Division eventually reached Katia the next day, 6 August; 800 men had died in the two-day march from Pelusium Station.

[36][37] Nearly 50 years after serving with the 42nd Division in the Sinai, one veteran, gunner J. Thompson, confessed that the "sight of a leaking tap" made him "squirm".

[48] It constructed fortifications according to the new British defensive doctrine of "defended localities" in anticipation of major German attack.

Private Walter Mills of C Company, the 1/10th Manchesters, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for actions at Red Dragon Crater, Givenchy on the night of 10 December 1917.

[51] On 23 March 1918 it joined VI Corps under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Haldane in the Third Army, initially in reserve, and then at Ervillers, to defend the line against the German 17th Army under the command of General Otto von Below on the right (i.e. north) wing of the German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht) in the First Battle of the Somme (1918) and then the First Battle of Bapaume.

[52] It counterattacked in the afternoon with seven tanks and 300 infantry from Logeast Wood to delay the German VI Reserve Corps on 25 March 1918.

The divisional artillery went into action under heavy fire in support of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division on the outskirts of Loupart Wood.

Many casualties were sustained from machine guns situated in Beaucamps to the right of the division's front during the Battle of the Canal du Nord.

[61] On 9 October 1918 its infantry marched up to the front through Lesdain, Esnes, Beauvois and relieved New Zealand Division, who had established a bridgehead across the River Selle at Briastre.

[78] Although war was declared, many of the division's units, widely scattered, were engaged in static defensive duties and guarding vulnerable positions, and so were initially unable to concentrate on training.

[78] In January 1940, the division moved to Wiltshire, coming under Southern Command[77] and continued training in order to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France.

[77] Around this time the 42nd Division gained its first and only Victoria Cross (VC) of the Second World War, belonging to Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews of the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, of the 126th Brigade.

[77] The corps was intended by General Sir Alan Brooke, the Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, to be used in a counterattack role if the Germans invaded.

On 5 November 1940, the division moved to Gloucestershire upon transferring again, this time to Lieutenant General Hugh Massy's XI Corps,[77] and continued its routine of alternating between beach defence and training for potential future operations overseas.

[77][78] However, after undergoing numerous changes in organisation and personnel, the 42nd Armoured Division, after an existence of just less than two years, was broken up, many of its units reconverting to infantry or disbanding.

[87] General Officers Commanding have included:[88] The 42nd Division Memorial stands on the north edge of Trescault village on the left of the road to Havrincourt.