Eventually forming part of the 3rd Division, the brigade served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of the war.

Raised in late 1940, initially the brigade was employed on garrison duties on Fiji before returning to New Zealand in mid-1942.

In December 1942, it was sent to New Caledonia where they remained until early September 1943, when they moved to Guadalcanal to prepare for operations in the Solomon Islands.

Elements of the Fiji Defence Force were also attached, as were artillery, engineer and medical support units.

[8][9] The brigade remained on Fiji to defend it against a possible Japanese invasion until August 1942, when they returned to New Zealand and undertook home defence duties as part of the 3rd Division.

[14] The 8th Brigade remained on New Caledonia until early September when they moved to Guadalcanal[15] as the 3rd Division was assigned a combat role in the Solomon Islands campaign.

Coming ashore around the village of Falamai, the lead battalions – the 29th and 36th – experienced only limited opposition from the islands' defenders as they moved inland through thick scrub.

[23] In early 1944, manpower shortages in the New Zealand economy resulted in the decision to disband the units of the 3rd Division.