With the threat of war against Russia, the three Lancashire regiments were ordered to recruit up to their full establishments of 1200 men. When war broke out in 1854 an expeditionary force was sent to the Crimea and the militia were embodied for home defence and service in overseas garrisons. Additional infantry and artillery militia regiments were also formed in Lancashire at this time including the 6th Lancashire Militia raised at Ashton-under-Lyne at the end of 1854. On 8 January 1855 the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, the Earl of Sefton, appointed the Hon Edward Bootle-Wilbraham (second son of Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Baron Skelmersdale), formerly of the Coldstream Guards, as Colonel of the new regiment, with Col John Henry Pringle (also of the Coldstream Guards) as Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant and Thomas Edward Wilbraham (younger son of George Wilbraham of Delamere Park and former Captain in the 39th Foot) as the senior Major. Soon there were seven militia infantry regiments in Lancashire, each with a defined recruiting area: the 6th at Ashton recruited from the wider Manchester area.