A watan Agustan 1942, baturi na farko na rundunar, 9th, an tura shi zuwa Milne Bay don tallafawa Brigade na 18, yayin da sojojin Japan suka ci gaba tare da
Hanyar Kokoda zuwa Port Moresby. Daga bisani suka shiga cikin yakin Milne Bay, yayin da sauran rundunar ke shirya don turawa a kusa da Woodford, suna zuwa a watan Oktoba. Baturi na 55 daga baya ya shiga cikin kama Buna, ana motsa shi ta teku daga Oro Bay a kan wasu luggers. A lokacin motsawa, an kai wa jiragen ruwa hari kuma an rasa bindigogi biyu, da kuma kashe mutane da yawa. Daga baya sun goyi bayan Brigade na 18 da US 32nd Infantry Division. A halin yanzu, Baturi na 10 ya dauki nauyin tsaro a kusa da Porlock Harbour da kuma a tsibirin Goodenough. An sauƙaƙe batura na rundunar a hankali tsakanin Fabrairu da Afrilu 1943, bayan haka ya mai da hankali a kusa da Port Moresby, ya kasance a can har zuwa Janairu 1944, lokacin da suka koma Brisbane bayan sun kwashe sauran lokacinsa a New Guinea suna aiwatar da ayyukan garrison.