36th Battalion | |
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Active | 1941–44 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | New Zealand Military Forces |
Type | Infantry |
Size | ~700–900 personnel |
Part of | 8th Brigade, 3rd Division |
Engagements | Second World War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | John Barry |
Insignia | |
Distinguishing Patch | ![]() |
The 36th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Military Forces, which served during the Second World War. Attached to the 8th Brigade, New Zealand 3rd Division, the battalion was formed in late 1941 and saw service in the Pacific against the Japanese. They were initially used for garrison duties on Fiji and Norfolk Island before being committed to the fighting in the Solomon Islands in 1943. The battalion was disbanded in late 1944 as part of a partial demobilisation of New Zealand forces, which saw some of its personnel being returned to civilian employment while others were sent to Italy as reinforcements for the New Zealand 2nd Division.