Serving in the Pacific, the battalion mainly undertook garrison duties and labouring tasks in Fiji and New Caledonia, but saw brief combat against the Japanese in the Treasury Islands in late 1943.

[1] It had been considered for several years that New Zealand would assume responsibility for the defence of the Fijian colony, which lacked the military capability to defend itself, in the event of war.

[4] The battalion's personnel had been advised that their stay in Fiji was to be for six months but it was not until late-May that men from Auckland and Poverty Bay districts were returned to New Zealand.

Over the course of the next few months, apart from senior officers, the entire battalion's personnel were replaced, with most of the original members being eventually posted to the Middle East.

[9] It arrived in Auckland on 6 July and its personnel enjoyed a period of leave before reassembling at Papakura Military Camp in early August.

It resumed training which included a period of learning bush and mountain warfare[10] and as well as an intensive exercise, as part of 3rd Division, in the Kaimai Ranges.

[11] In July 1943, Major General Harold Barrowclough, having taken over command of the division from Cunningham, advised the New Zealand Government that it was ready for combat duties.

[14][15] Coming ashore near Falamai in late October, on the island's southern coast, the 29th landed alongside the 36th Battalion, amidst light opposition from Japanese defenders.

Much reduced in number, after a period of leave, the remaining members of the battalion engaged in labour in the area about its camp in Papakura.