The battalion was assigned to the 37th Infantry Brigade, alongside the 6th and 7th Royal Sussex, part of 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division. All soldiers under 20 years of age in 37 Brigade were assigned to a composite company based at 'Courtlands', West Worthing where they were engaged in coastal defence. The rest of the battalion were deployed as part of the BEF and a force of 23 officers and 603 other ranks sailed from Southampton, arriving in and stationed at Le Havre from 22 April 1940. Initially intended as a line of communications unit and expected to undertake further training they almost immediately became involved in the Battle of France and the defence of the Channel ports. On 15 May they were reassigned as motorised infantry, incorporated into Beauforce and sent north to join the rest of the BEF. With their route blocked by the Battle of Abbeville, they were ordered to take up a defensive position west of the River Béthune between Saint-Aubin-le-Cauf and Arques-la-Bataille and undertake patrols as part of the support group for the 1st Armoured Division. Here they were rejoined by D Company from detachment at Fécamp and remained until relieved by a battalion of Sherwood Foresters. After a few days' rest at Rouen, where Major D G Adams assumed command on 3 June, they were assigned to provide flank and rear-guard cover for the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division and ordered to hold a line east of the River Bresle between Forges-les-Eaux and Aumale, relieving the 4th Borders protecting anti-tank guns of the 1st Armoured Division. Lightly armed and spread very thinly, they were over-run in places by the rapidly advancing 7th Panzer Division.&lt;ref name="War Diary 2/6ESR"&gt;&lt;/ref&gt;