The British Government anticipated an invasion of Greece by the Germans in 1941 and decided to send troops to support the Greeks, who were already engaged against the Italians in Albania. The 2nd New Zealand Division, now at its full complement, was one of a number of Allied units dispatched to Greece in Operation Lustre during early March. The 6th Infantry Brigade was tasked with the defence of the coastal portion of the Aliakmon Line in northern Greece, with the 26th Battalion, apart from one company, based at Mount Olympus as the divisional reserve. Later in March, it was replaced by 23rd Battalion and moved forward to rejoin 6th Brigade near Katerini, digging in between the 24th and 25th Battalions.