In June 1943, command of the 15th Brigade was assumed by Brigadier Heathcote Hammer who had led with distinction as a battalion commander in North Africa, including at the First and the Second Battle of El Alamein. Hammer led the brigade until war's end. Later in 1943 the brigade was deployed to New Guinea. Its first fight involved the 24th and 58th/59th Battalions against the Japanese during the Salamaua–Lae campaign. Assigned a role in the feint against Salamaua, the brigade's most significant actions came in June and into July when they were involved in the fighting around Bobdubi Ridge. During this time the 57th/60th Battalion had been assigned to maintain a defensive perimeter for the US 871st Airborne Engineer Battalion, who were carving out a new airbase deep in the jungle at Tsili Tsili. At the end of the Salamaua–Lae campaign all units of the brigade were moved back to Port Moresby. In early 1944, the brigade was formed up for battle in its entirety and was attached to the 7th Division for its campaign in the Markham and Ramu valleys, arriving at Dumpu on 7 January to begin their advance. In February, after the fighting around the Kankiryo Saddle, the 15th Brigade moved up the Faria Valley to take over from the 18th Brigade. The brigade then proceeded to advance towards Madang as part of the 11th Division, which was reached on 24 April 1944.