AW ▁( light ▁weight / air ▁warning ) ▁was ▁acc laimed ▁as ▁the ▁back bone ▁of ▁the ▁RA AF ▁rad ar ▁network ▁in ▁the ▁island ▁war fare ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁ 2 , ▁represented ▁by ▁a ▁rep lica ▁at ▁the ▁Australian ▁War ▁Memorial . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁factory ▁set ▁was ▁ready ▁on ▁ 5 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁RA AF ▁rad ar ▁men ▁took ▁the ▁piano - s ized ▁cabin ets ▁to ▁Tom are e ▁Head ▁and ▁y ank ed ▁them ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁sum mit . ▁The ▁station ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁air ▁by ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁was ▁reporting ▁the ▁positions ▁of ▁aircraft . ▁Tom are e ▁rad ar ▁was ▁also ▁able ▁to ▁detect ▁ships ; ▁the ▁station ▁reported ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁sub marine ▁that ▁sh elled ▁New castle ▁on ▁ 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁Fort ifications ▁and ▁functions ▁ ▁The ▁W W II ▁gun ▁emp lac ements ▁and ▁related ▁structures ▁on ▁Tom are e ▁Head ▁were ▁established ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁system ▁for ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁Australia . ▁The ▁sites ▁are ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁defence ▁for ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁New castle ▁and ▁Port ▁Steph ens ▁- ▁important ▁enough ▁to ▁war rant ▁its ▁establishment ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁fire ▁command . ▁It ▁includes ▁sites ▁that ▁were ▁developed ▁for ▁heavy ▁gun ▁emp lac ements , ▁light ▁weapons ▁and ▁machine ▁gun ▁p its , ▁tor