▁Raymond ▁Bar ham . ▁ ▁After ▁dis emb ark ing ▁in ▁Sydney , ▁the ▁troops ▁received ▁three ▁weeks ▁of ▁leave ▁during ▁which ▁time ▁they ▁were ▁allowed ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁their ▁homes . ▁The ▁ 9 th ▁Division ▁then ▁carried ▁out ▁welcome ▁home ▁march es ▁across ▁Australia , ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 5 th ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁march ▁through ▁Br is b ane . ▁After ▁this , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁transport ed ▁to ▁K ai ri ▁on ▁the ▁A ther ton ▁Table land ▁in ▁north ▁Queensland ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁converted ▁to ▁the ▁j ung le ▁establishment ▁and ▁began ▁training ▁for ▁operations ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese . ▁The ▁re organisation ▁saw ▁the ▁batt alion ▁establishment ▁drop ▁to ▁around ▁ 8 0 0 ▁men , ▁and ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁many ▁vehicles ▁and ▁heavy ▁equipment . ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁Col in ▁Henry ▁Grace ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁batt alion ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁would ▁do ▁so ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁Am ph ib ious ▁training ▁was ▁carried ▁out ▁at ▁Tr inity ▁Beach , ▁near ▁C air ns , ▁with ▁the ▁US ▁ 5 3 2 nd ▁Engine er ▁Bo at ▁and ▁Sh ore ▁Regiment ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁Following ▁training , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁deployed ▁to ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Mil ne ▁Bay ▁in ▁early ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁It ▁saw ▁action ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁stages ▁of ▁the ▁Sal am au a – L ae ▁campaign ▁in