puttick oversaw the training of the brigade once it settled in its base in egypt. in june 1940, freyberg travelled to england to where the second infantry brigade of the division had been shipped. in his absence, puttick was temporary commander of the new zealand forces in egypt. anticipating a german invasion of greece, the division was one of the allied units transferred to that country. arriving in april 1941, he led the brigade competently during the battle of greece as it retreated from the aliakmon line in northern greece to the servia pass and onto the beaches at porto rafti from where it was evacuated on 27 april to crete. he was later awarded a bar to his dso for his "gallantry and devotion to duty" during this period.