While the troops were embarking Major-General Douglas received the following telegram from Sir John Maxwell—
“When you have an opportunity will you let the East Lancashire Division know that during the time they have been under my command I have been filled with admiration of their conduct, keenness, capacity for hard work, cheerfulness and soldier-like spirit. Now they are going on hard active service I am sure they will fight gallantly and uphold the great traditions of Lancashire and the Empire, and prove, if proof be needed, that the trained Territorial soldier is second to none. Good luck and God speed to you all.”
On May 1 the Embarkation State of the Division was as follows—
| Officers. | Other Ranks. | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters and Signal Service | 21 | 242 |
| Artillery (with twenty-four 15-pr. guns) | 57 | 1,273 |
| Engineers | 15 | 410 |
| Infantry (two machine-guns to each battalion) | 369 | 11,189 |
| R.A.M.C. | 34 | 653 |
| A.S.C. | 24 | 313 |
| Total | 520 | 14,080 |
Officers commanding units—
| C.R.A. | Brig.-General A. D’A. King, D.S.O. |
| 1st Brigade R.F.A. | Lieut.-Colonel A. Birtwistle. |
| 3rd Brigade R.F.A. | Lieut.-Colonel C. E. Walker. |
| C.R.E. | Lieut.-Colonel S. L. Tennant. |
| Div. Signal Company | Major A. N. Lawford. |
| 1st Field Company | Major J. H. Mousley. |
| 2nd Field Company | Major L. F. Wells. |
| Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade | Brig.-General H. C. Frith. |
| 5th Batt. L.F. | Lieut.-Colonel J. Isherwood. |
| 6th Batt. L.F. | Lieut.-Colonel Lord Rochdale. |
| 7th Batt. L.F. | Lieut.-Colonel A. F. Maclure. |
| 8th Batt. L.F. | Lieut.-Colonel J. A. Fallows. |
| East Lancashire Brigade | Brig.-General D. G. Prendergast. |
| 4th Batt. E.L. | Lieut.-Colonel F. D. Robinson. |
| 5th Batt. E.L. | Lieut.-Colonel W. E. Sharples. |
| 9th Batt. Manchester | Lieut.-Colonel D. H. Wade. |
| 10th Batt. Manchester | Lieut.-Colonel J. B. Rye. |
| Manchester Brigade | Brig.-General Noel Lee. |
| 5th Batt. Manchester | Lieut.-Colonel H. C. Darlington. |
| 6th Batt. Manchester | Major C. R. Pilkington. |
| 7th Batt. Manchester | Lieut.-Colonel H. E. Gresham. |
| 8th Batt. Manchester | Lieut.-Colonel W. G. Heys. |
| E.L. Divisional Train | Major A. England. |
| 1st E.L. Field Ambulance | Lieut.-Colonel H. G. Parker. |
| 3rd E.L. Field Ambulance | Lieut.-Colonel W. M. Steinthal. |
With one or two exceptions these officers were in command when the units left England. Lieut.-Colonel Heywood (6th Manchesters) had been pronounced unfit for active service by reason of defective eyesight, and Lieut.-Colonel Needham (A.S.C.) was left at Alexandria sick.
1/2nd GURKHA RIFLES CROSSING 1ST FIELD COMPANY’S BRIDGE OVER SUEZ CANAL AT FERRY POST.