Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Horatio Charles Stent, known as Tom, was born 12 Apt 1905 at Hounslow, England the 4th of 7 children of Horatio & Katherine Stent. His father was a Motor & General Engineer per the 1911 UK Census records. In 1921 Tom served in the British Navy Boys Service.
In 1923, aged 19 years, Tom travelled to Australia with his 17 year old brother, Cyril, arriving at Brisbane on the ship, Jervis Bay. I have only found one Australian record for Tom/Horatio between his arrival in Qld and joining the army in 1942! In the 1927 Police Gazette Horatio Charles Stent, Alias Tom, was posted as missing, probably by his brother! Cyril married in Qld in 1929 then returned to England for a few years before returning and lived at Caboolture.
Tom joined the Australian Military Forces as Q1356282 in 6 May 1942 giving his mother Katherine Stent in England as next of kin + Maurice Archer, Wooroolin, Best friend. In 1943 whilst serving at New Guinea he was transferred to QX57386 where he gave his next of kin as Mrs Kate Cummings, Wooroolin. His occupation was noted as “all round engineer”. So Tom had to be living in the Wooroolin area pre WW11 to have friends in the area. I have written several stories that include Kate Cummings of Wooroolin so a lovely surprise to find her name in Tom’s army file.
Tom served abroad at New Guinea from 21 Feb 1943 to 27 Jan 1944, again 10 May 1944 to 26 Aug 1944 then Morotai from 4 May 19454 to 4 Jan 1946.
Tom was discharged from the Army on 20 Dec 1945 and returned to Wooroolin. The QLD electoral roll for 1954 is the first official record found for him in Australia after the 1927 Missing Person Gazette!
Des Cummings, the son of Mrs Kate Cummings, can remember Tom Stent reasonably well. He says: My first contact with Tom was when he was living in a room at the end of the old hall that was situated behind the Grand hotel. I can still picture him with his pouches on his belt which was not uncommon in those days. I think I was fascinated by some of the stories he used to tell me and called on him quite often after school if I was not looking for our house cows. Being Mum I think I would take him the occasional meal prepared by Mum. (Kate Cummings). Hence his naming Mum as his NOK. I do think he was a bit of a loner. I lost track of him after being sent to boarding school in early 1947. I know he did some work around W but am not sure as to what it was.
Tom moved to Wondai about 1960 and the electoral rolls show that he was a “Builder”. Many Wondai people remember Tom Stent – he was a likeable character it seems.
Tom died in 1985 and is remembered at Mt Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium Holland Park West.
Lest We Forget