Throughout the early part of the Second World War, the 28th Battalion undertook brief periods of continuous service, providing training to recruits who were enlisted following the re-establishment of conscription in January 1940 to improve the nation's overall readiness. The provisions of the "Defence Act" precluded the Militia from being sent outside Australian territory to fight, so many of the battalion's personnel volunteered to serve in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF). After Japan's entry into the war, the 13th Brigade's units were mobilised for full-time service and pressed into home defence with III Corps, undertaking garrison duties to defend Western Australia against a possible invasion. When that threat passed, they moved to the Northern Territory, and the 28th Battalion established itself around 49-Mile Creek. Late in the war, the 13th Brigade was reassigned from the 4th Division to the 5th, and in November 1944 they were committed to the New Britain campaign, landing at Jacquinot Bay the following month and later established themselves around Waitavalo. From then until the end of the war in August 1945, the 28th took part in a containment campaign against the much larger Japanese force on the island, as the Australians attempted to confine them to the Gazelle Peninsula and Rabaul. The 28th kept up a program of patrolling through the jungle, but made little contact with the Japanese. After the war, the battalion remained on the island processing Japanese prisoners of war until being repatriated back to Australia in January 1946. They were disbanded two months later as part of the demobilisation process. Throughout the war, the 28th lost six men killed on active service and one wounded. It received one battle honour for its service in 1961, but was also entrusted with the 16 battle honours awarded to the 2nd AIF's &lt;a href="2/28th%20Battalion%20%28Australia%29"&gt;2/28th Battalion&lt;/a&gt;.