where he was wounded. For his actions during this battle he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and was mentioned in despatches. After recovering from his wounds he led the brigades actions during the successful coastal advance towards Sidon and in the Battle of Damour between 5–9 July 1941. During the Syrian campaign against Vichy French forces in Syria and Lebanon he directed the battle of the Litani River on 12 June 1941 and, after recovering from wounds, he led the brigade's actions during the Battle of Damour between 5 and 9 July 1941. Stevens returned with the 21st Brigade to Australia in March 1942. Stevens was promoted to temporary major general and given command of the Militia's 4th Division in April before being appointed commander of Northern Territory Force in August. He was given the additional command responsibilities of the 12th Division and the Northern Territory Lines of Communications Area in December. Appointed the commanding officer of the 6th Division in April 1943 and oversaw the division's training on the Atherton Tableland, Queensland. Stevens deployed to the Territory of New Guinea in late 1944 for action in the Aitape–Wewak campaign, advancing along the coast to Wewak and clearing Japanese units from the Aitape-Wewak & Maprik area. The campaign inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese 18th Army. He was appointed the Companion of the Order of the Bath for "gallant and distinguished service" and "outstanding leadership in operations against the Japanese" in 1946. He was relinquished of command against his wishes in August 1945. Later life Stevens became the assistant-commissioner of the Commonwealth Public Service Board in 1946, before being appointed the general manager and chief executive officer of the Overseas Telecommunications Commission in September 1946. He also kept an association with the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) as the commanding officer of the 2nd Division (1947–50) and for two months as the CMF member of the Military Board prior to being placed on the Reserve of Officers on 1 July 1950. In 1950, he was appointed Secretary of the Department of National Development and given responsibility for uranium mining at Rum Jungle, Northern Territory. He was later appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Supply in 1951 to oversee research and development. He organised agreements with the United Kingdom and the United States of America on atomic research issues, and during the atomic tests in Australia. Stevens was appointed