lacement ( s ) ▁were ▁not ▁ins pected ▁and ▁so ▁the ▁claim ▁that ▁the ▁emp lac ements ▁no ▁longer ▁remained ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁verified . ▁ ▁With ▁Japan ' s ▁invasion ▁of ▁South - E ast ▁Asia ▁and ▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁islands ▁to ▁Australia ' s ▁north ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁it ▁became ▁necessary ▁to ▁establish ▁training ▁cam ps ▁with ▁the ▁object ▁of ▁training ▁personnel ▁from ▁all ▁three ▁armed ▁services ▁( n avy , ▁army ▁and ▁air ▁force ) ▁in ▁joint ▁operations ▁to ▁re take ▁the ▁captured ▁islands . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁a ▁Royal ▁Marine ▁officer , ▁Commander , ▁F . ▁N . ▁Cook , ▁and ▁Lie ut - Col onel ▁Hope ▁ins pected ▁sites ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁School ▁of ▁Com b ined ▁Oper ations . ▁Port ▁Steph ens ▁was ▁selected ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁defend able ▁port , ▁safe ▁anch orage ▁away ▁from ▁Japanese ▁sub mar ines ▁and ▁sparse ▁population . ▁ ▁The ▁military ▁install ations ▁comm enced ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁were ▁Fort ▁Tom are e ▁on ▁Tom are e ▁and ▁Nelson ▁He ads , ▁H MA S ▁Ass ault ▁I ▁at ▁Fly ▁Point ▁and ▁along ▁the ▁sh ores ▁of ▁Nelson ▁Bay . ▁Work ▁on ▁the ▁RA AF ▁rad ar ▁station ▁on ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁Tom are e ▁had ▁begun ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁. ▁These ▁install ations ▁joined ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁Gan ▁Gan ▁Army ▁Com b ined ▁Training ▁Centre ▁located ▁in