In July 1942 264 (S) A Fd Co joined the newly-formed 2nd General Headquarters Troops RE (2nd GHQTRE). The rest of the unit was composed of Yorkshire companies formerly part of 49th (West Riding) Division. 2nd GHQTRE was assigned to First Army for the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch). On 5 November 1942 the company was in billets in Tiverton, Devon, when embarkation orders arrived. It moved to Newport, Wales, where on 9 November it boarded the SS "Orontes", which sailed on 14 November via Scottish waters for North Africa.