Throughout the spring and summer of 1939, the Territorial Army was ordered to expand in size and double its strength by creating duplicate units and, as a result, the 6th and 7th battalions created duplicate units, the 2/6th and 2/7th battalions. Both battalions became part of the 137th Infantry Brigade, attached to the 46th (West Riding and North Midland) Infantry Division and were sent overseas to France in April 1940 to join the British Expeditionary Force. Poorly trained and equipped, both battalions were battered during the German Army's blitzkrieg during the Battle of France and were forced to retreat to Dunkirk and be evacuated to England. The battalions spent the next two years on home defence, preparing for a German invasion which never arrived. In July 1942 these battalions were transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps and converted to armour as 114 RAC and 115 RAC. They continued to wear their Duke's badge on the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps.