In July 1944, the 26th Battalion was withdrawn to Australia on board the transport "Taroona", and after leave reconstituted at Strathpine, Queensland, and began training for further operations. Gazetted as an AIF unit, which meant it could be deployed outside Australian territory, during December 1944 the battalion deployed to Bougainville as Australian troops from the 3rd Division relieved American forces around Torokina. The Australians subsequently launched three drives on the island in the northern, southern and central areas. Initially, the 26th Battalion was committed to the fighting in the central sector of the island conducting patrolling operations around Numa Numa before being withdrawn to Torokina at the end of January 1945. In February that year, Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Callinan assumed command, taking over from Abbott.