On the afternoon of the 3rd September the Battalion was paraded for inspection by Major-Gen. W. Fry, C.B., C.V.O., commanding 1st London Division, who, in an address to the troops, announced that the destination of the Brigade was Malta; and conveyed to the Battalion, to the great satisfaction of all ranks, the direct assurance of Earl Kitchener that the Battalion would be retained in Malta only until it should be passed fit to take the field. This announcement was received with enthusiasm as it served to allay the disquieting rumours of the possibility of the Malta station proving to be a "sidetrack" for the period of the war. Shortly after midnight on the 3/4th September 1914, the Battalion (strength 29 officers and 976 other ranks, fully armed and equipped) paraded and marched to Waterloo amid scenes of enthusiasm and excitement in Hoxton which will probably never be forgotten by those who witnessed them, and entrained at 3.30 a.m. on the 4th September for Southampton, embarking on arrival in H.T. _Galician_ (Union Castle Line). The following officers proceeded overseas with the Battalion: Lieut.-Col. G. P. Botterill, in command. Major L. T. Burnett, second in command. Capt. G. B. Scott, Adjutant (2nd Battalion The Leinster Regiment). Major R. J. J. Jackson, commanding F Company. Capt. G. H. M. Vine, " E " " H. J. T. Duncan-Teape, commanding A Company. " R. N. Arthur, " H " " H. P. L. Cart de Lafontaine, commanding D Company. " W. Moore, commanding B Company. " W. G. Clark, " C " Lieut. C. R. Saunders, " G " " S. Elliott (Machine Gun Officer). " V. W. Edwards. " F. C. Grimwade (Signalling Officer). " P. B. K. Stedman (Transport Officer). Lieut. H. W. Weathersbee. 2/Lieut. A. L. Long. " J. T. Sykes. " R. L. Herring. " R. V. Gery. " E. W. Bottomley. " T. I. Walker. " A. B. Lucy. " A. R. Moore. " T. Moody. " J. R. Pyper. " E. Giles. Hon. Lieut. and Q.M., E. S. Tomsett (Quartermaster). Major J. F. F. Parr, R.A.M.C.T., Medical Officer attached. At 4 p.m. that afternoon anchor was weighed, and the transport convoy, conveying the first Brigade of Territorial troops to leave this country, dropped down Southampton water. CHAPTER II THE 1/4TH BATTALION IN MALTA--FORMATION OF THE 2/4TH BATTALION Under escort of H.M.S. _Amphitrite_, and accompanied by four other transports conveying the remainder of the 1st London Infantry Brigade, the _Galician_, carrying, in addition to the 1/4th Londons, two companies of the 1/3rd Londons and a section of the 1/1st London Field Ambulance, made a fair passage through the Bay and reached Gibraltar without mishap. Here the convoy broke up, and the transports proceeded independently to their destination.