In August 1943, the 3rd New Zealand Division was assigned a role in the ongoing Solomon Islands campaign, which was being directed by Vice Admiral William Halsey, the overall commander of Allied forces in the South Pacific area. Row's brigade did not participate in the first action the New Zealanders were involved in, the Battle of Vella Lavella. However, it played the major role in the following month's Battle of the Treasury Islands. The Treasuries, which consisted of two main islands, Mono and Stirling, were to the south of the larger island of Bougainville and were seen by the Allies as a stepping-stone towards landing forces there. The operation would be the first amphibious landing mounted under fire by New Zealand forces since the Gallipoli landing in 1915.