Eventually the division, without having to move again, became G.H.Q.
reserve, which meant that we were liable to be sent to any part of the
British line when Germany commenced to strike. With the aid of motor
buses, parties of officers and men made reconnaissances of the defended
localities behind the Loos and Hulluch sector, so that by now we were
more or less conversant with the larger part of the 1st Army front. The
divisional commander lectured officers and N.C.O's. of all brigades
concerning the work of defence, and it was about this time that he
instituted the divisional motto:--"Go one better"--which was taken up
and acted upon with such popular enthusiasm by everyone connected with
the 42nd. In fact, if a coat of arms of the East Lancashire Division had
been designed in 1918, the following three features would have stood out
clearly:--
[Illustration]
During the month of February the drain upon the manpower of the British
Empire caused by the war made itself apparent. It was found to be
impossible to maintain in the field four battalions per brigade, and a
reduction to three was ordered. Then took place the solution of a most
confusing Chinese puzzle. Some battalions were broken up, and the
fragments sent to others either in the same division or in other
divisions, while in the case of many units, particularly territorials,
there was a transfer of a sort of cadre which was amplified to full
strength in its new division. The 42nd division lost the 6th L.
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