The brigade landed in France at the end of 1915 and then served on the Western Front for the rest of the war, seeing action at the Somme, Arras, and Ypres.

On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army.

The newly-appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward.

These were deployed at their war stations in coastal defence where they were training and equipping reservists to provide reinforcement drafts to the Regular Army fighting overseas.

The brigade was also joined by its support troops in early 1916, giving the following order of battle:[7][11][12][18] For its first offensive action, 30th Division formed the extreme right of the BEF and was to attack alongside the French Army; its task was the Capture of Montauban.

However, a lone machine gun, bypassed in the German front line, had already taken a heavy toll of the neighbouring 18th (Eastern) Division: now it swung round and enfiladed 90th Bde, causing severe casualties.

When at last the artillery lifted the first wave left the trench and swept up the open slope towards Montauban, followed by the rest of the brigade.

The attack was opposed by a single machine gun in Montauban; a well-sited trench in front of the village proved to be unoccupied, and at 10.05 the Manchesters and RSF swept into the ruins, which were empty apart from a fox.

By the time the last of the smokescreen dissipated at 11.00, 90th Bde had entered Montauban Alley, beyond the northernmost houses, and captured there 100 or so Germans, who mostly surrendered without a fight.

Although 30th Division sent patrols ahead into Bernafy Wood (finding it unoccupied), it was not allowed to advance further, because the other British formations were held up and a German counter-attack was anticipated.

[7][11][14][19][20] Thereafter, the brigade took part in the following actions:[7][11] At Pilckem Ridge, the opening phase of the Ypres offensive, II Corps was given the toughest objective, the capture of the Gheluvelt Plateau.

The infantry attacked at 03.50 on 31 July 1917 behind a creeping barrage, but despite 14 days of bombardment, the Germans' rearward positions were still intact, and their guns behind the Gheluvelt Plateau remained unsuppressed.

[7][11][15][21][22][23] By early 1918 the BEF was suffering a manpower crisis and brigades were reorganised on a three-battalion basis, the surplus units being broken up to provide reinforcements.

These changes gave 90th Bde the following organisation:[7][11][24] When the German spring offensive was launched on 21 March 1918, 30th Division was in the centre of XVIII Corps, holding a forward slope facing the town of St Quentin.

By now the mist had cleared and they were in full view of the defences sited on a reverse slope swept by machine guns and supported by artillery.

Then in another attack at 14.00 they captured the whole of the front line; after making some counter-attacks the garrison fell back on 'Stevens Redoubt', the HQ of 2nd Bedfords in the rear of the Battle Zone north of 2nd RSF at Étreillers.

Reinforced by two companies of the 18th (Lancashire Hussars) Bn King's (Liverpool Regiment) from 89th Bde, the Bedfords held on in the redoubt.

Just as ammunition began to run out, they were ordered to retire through 20th (Light) Division, and because the 'Green Line' trenches in the rear had not been finished they had to go back to Ham on the River Somme.

By the end of the day, the Germans had gained crossings of the river and canal, despite bridge demolitions, and XVIII Corps had been forced back.

30th Division completed its move on 15 April and 89th Bde went to support the fighting on the southern side of the salient, joining XXII Corps.

This was held for the rest of the day and reinforced by a succession of detachments and composite units while the Germans pushed past and drove the neighbouring French troops from Mont Kemmel.

2nd Bedfords holding the outpost line north of the canal found its position endangered by the loss of the Spoil Bank.

The enemy made several attempts to capture the Bluff, but the Bedfords and West Yorks held on until late in the afternoon.

By the time the division was ready for action the Final Allied Advance (the Hundred Days Offensive) had begun, and Second Army was cautiously following a deliberate German retirement.

At 15.00 it was ordered to make a short advance and complete the capture of that day's third objective, but now there was considerable opposition, though the Germans could be seen retiring from the Messines–Wytschaete Ridge.

That night fires and explosions were observed in the towns ahead as the Germans prepared to pull out, and next morning 30th Division pushed patrols forward to the River Lys.

German shellfire failed to destroy the bridge, but accurate machine gun fire from the Linselles Switch Line prevented patrols from advancing out of Bousbecque.

Starting at 07.30, 2nd London Scottish made good progress, but were brought to a standstill by machine gun and artillery fire at about 15.00.

It intended to continue under the cover of darkness and pushed patrols forward to the Helchin road, but the two battalions of 21st Bde were held up on the Ruddervoorde spur.

30th Division advanced rapidly and on the morning of 11 November the 7th Dragoon Guards passed through the infantry to reach a line from Ghoy to La Livarde, north west of Lessines just as the Armistice came into force at 11.00.