. ▁The ▁area ▁between ▁A ther ton ▁and ▁C air ns ▁was ▁used ▁extens ively ▁as ▁a ▁training ▁ground ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁for ▁Australian ▁troops ▁involved ▁in ▁action ▁in ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁B oug ain ville ▁and ▁the ▁later ▁land ings ▁at ▁A ita pe - W ew ak , ▁Tar ak an , ▁Lab uan ▁and ▁Bal ik p apan . ▁The ▁Table lands ▁Base ▁Area ▁created ▁a ▁constant ▁flow ▁of ▁Army ▁traffic ▁through ▁A ther ton ' s ▁main ▁street , ▁as ▁cam ps ▁were ▁set ▁up ▁to ▁train ▁troops ▁in ▁j ung le ▁war fare ▁before ▁their ▁being ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁islands ▁north ▁of ▁Australia . ▁Australia ' s ▁ 6 th , ▁ 7 th ▁and ▁ 9 th ▁Division ▁were ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁A ther ton ▁region . ▁W ounded ▁soldiers ▁were ▁taken ▁to ▁the ▁Rock y ▁Creek ▁Hospital ▁Complex ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁station ▁hospital ▁at ▁Mare eb a ▁State ▁School . The ▁first ▁bur ial ▁in ▁the ▁A ther ton ▁War ▁C emetery ▁took ▁place ▁following ▁the ▁death ▁on ▁ 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁of ▁Gun ner ▁Andrew ▁Mer v yn ▁H ems worth , ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Art illery ▁( G ra ve ▁AC 1 ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁the ▁c emetery ▁was ▁res ur vey ed ▁and ▁red es igned ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Gra ves ▁Reg istration ▁and ▁Environment ▁Unit . ▁Pl ans ▁reve al ▁a ▁symmet rical ▁design ▁that ▁compr