 February saw the issuing of equipment and the commencement of training , however , this was punctuated by medical inspections and dental treatment as well as ceremonial duties surrounding the commemoration of the Treaty of Waitangi . A lack of previous experience in technical trades also hampered the training of the battalion , as the unit was short of men who were able to serve in roles such as clerks , drivers and signallers because the majority of personnel were drawn from mainly rural backgrounds . Consequently , men for these roles had to be trained from scratch . The organisation of the battalion was finally completed in March , when the men were allocated to their respective companies , and on 13 March 1940 the 28th ( Māori ) Battalion was declared on active service . After 14 days leave , the battalion conducted a five @-@ week concentration period before embarking on 1 May 1940 . The battalion 's strength at this time was 39 officers and 642 other ranks . 
