30th Battalion (New Zealand)

30th Battalion
Mortar crew of 30th Battalion firing at Japanese barges on Nissan Island
Active	1940–1944
Country	New Zealand
Branch	New Zealand Military Forces
Type	Infantry
Size	~700–900 personnel
Part of	14th Brigade, 3rd Division
Engagements	Second World War Land Battle of Vella Lavella Battle of the Green Islands
Insignia
Distinguishing Patch

The 30th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand 3rd Division, raised for service during the Second World War. After being raised in late 1940, the battalion undertook garrison duties in Fiji and on New Caledonia during the early part of the war, before undertaking combat operations during the latter part of the Solomon Islands campaign, landing on Vella Lavella and the Green Islands in 1943–1944. The battalion was disbanded in mid-1944 to return manpower to the New Zealand economy and to provide reinforcements to the New Zealand 2nd Division, which was fighting in Italy.