▁built ) ▁based ▁at ▁Port ▁Steph ens ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁thirty - six ▁were ▁controlled ▁by ▁H MA S ▁Ass ault ▁and ▁ 1 0 5 ▁by ▁the ▁US ▁Navy . ▁The ▁Tom are e ▁sea wards ▁and ▁sea front ▁def ences ▁were ▁progress ively ▁strength ened , ▁as ▁their ▁strateg ic ▁importance ▁increased , ▁to ▁create ▁Fort ▁Tom are e ▁which ▁protected ▁the ▁first ▁Al lied ▁Com b ined ▁Oper ations , ▁Land ing ▁Training ▁Centre ▁in ▁the ▁south - west ▁Pacific ▁theatre , ▁for ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁held ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁a ▁Naval ▁Control ▁Observ ation ▁B unker ▁(" Head ▁B atter y ") ▁was ▁constructed ▁below ▁the ▁Nelson ▁Head ▁Light ▁( Inner ▁Light ) ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁detect ing ▁sub mar ines ▁and , ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁Fort ▁Tom are e , ▁provide ▁surve ill ance ▁over ▁Prov idence ▁Bay . ▁An ▁access ▁road ▁was ▁built ▁to ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ▁where ▁previously ▁only ▁a ▁rough ▁track ▁existed ▁up ▁a ▁ste ep ▁clim b ▁from ▁Little ▁Beach . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁war , ▁all ▁supplies ▁were ▁taken ▁up ▁on ▁a ▁s led ▁pulled ▁by ▁a ▁horse . ▁The ▁Nelson ▁head ▁B atter y ▁was ▁abandoned ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁dis m ant led . ▁Only ▁the ▁Control ▁building ▁remains . ▁The ▁exterior ▁of ▁the ▁control ▁observation ▁b unker ▁was ▁ins pected ▁but ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁gun ▁emp