 Tasked with taking over responsibility for defending the beachhead from the 20th Brigade, they arrived in early September 1943.After defending Red Beach and supporting the capture of Lae the battalion received a cadre of experienced 2nd Australian Imperial Force personnel as reinforcements as they began to prepare to undertake a more offensive role.Between December 1943 and April 1944, the battalion carried out long range patrolling operations behind the mission at Sattelberg, which had been captured in November.