Born on 24 December 1893 at Yarraville, Presbyterian. Graduated from Claremont Teachers College in 1913 and enlisted on 21 June 1916. Nok parents, John and Lena Sten, 133 Raglan Rd, North Perth. Embarked at Melbourne 10 May 1917 per A46 Clan McGilvray. (Elsewhere from Melbourne 13 October 1916 per A39 Port Macquarie). Wounded in France on 10 February 1917 (another source adds a wounding on 11 June 1917) RTA 6 September 1919 aboard A35 Berima and discharged 2 December 1919. Service medals: BWM and VM. In the years after the war, Tom Sten was at the following schools: Narrogin Farm School, York, Beverly, Jarrahdale, Narrogin, Jarrahdale, York, Beverley, Narrogin and Headmaster at Cottesloe School in 1937. In 1936, Sten was the country vice-president of the RSL and in 1938 he was appointed to the board of the Soldiers’ Children Scholarship Trust. In 1939, while HT of East Claremont Practice School; he completed a Diploma of Education with distinctions in all subjects. In 1940 he was Schools Inspector for the Katanning-Albany district. In 1945 he succeeded R.G. Cameron (later Professor Cameron UWA) as principal of Claremont Teachers’ College and was the RSL representative on the Repatriation Education Board. In 1948, as the senior vice-president of the WA Branch of the RSL, he led a delegation of ex-servicemen to New-Zealand for the Anzac Day service. In 1951 Sten was elected State president of the RSL and he was also, at this time, the president of the Australian Associated Youth Committee, Chairman of Royal Perth Hospital and Chairman of the Rottnest Island Board. In 1951, at the invitation of Prime Minister Robert Menzies, he was appointed member of Repatriation Education Board. Sten retired from Claremont Teacher’s College in 1958 and died on 14 July 1986. Personal file in the State Records Office of WA, AN 45/5, Acc 1059, file 1546/1933. Photo p.17 The Campus That Never Stood Still.
